What suits one person always doesnt suit another.
#Channel 4 'simulcast' which means they show the same on 4HD as progs shown on Ch4. However this means much of the content on the HD channel is not High Definition but just upscaled SD.
#Whereas BBC HD only shows HD content but reduces the hours, does not simulcast and just shows best of its available programs.
#ITV will only offer best of its programming also, rather than trick people by upscaling standard def, and does has a good solution for this- Press red. So when Champions League footy is available in HD, or a new series is available in HD, or a Movie is in HD etc you can just easily flip.
Who can say what is best. I personally think they are all good solutions and only time will tell which version becomes most popular with public, but I am sure there will always be people that dont like it. So what, dont buy it, and at least you arent ripped of with £60 a month subscription.
I have no idea why anyone would think its a government service so cant really help on that. I remember when sky started, or BSB, or Freeview, or Ondigital, or Top-up-tv, etc and not one of those services had what Freesat has got from the start so I guess it proves my point- there will always be someone unhappy no matter what.