DTV in more than 40% of UK households

[Gregg Lengling]

London, March 19 2003, (netimperative)



by Philip Buxton

More than 40% of UK households have digital TV, according to new figures released by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) today.
 

Though using estimates for DTV penetration by both ntl and Telewest, the new figures point to continued growth in interactive TV, largely boosted by the success of BBC's Freeview, which the Beeb said last month had reached 1.4m households. The ITC confirmed those figures with estimates that 1.3m houses had Freeview by the end of the year.

The Commision also said that the growth, if continued, would mean that DTV would overtake internet penetration in the UK later this year.

The figures are good news for the government which is still hoping to switch off the analogue TV signal from 2006 and wants to offer its own services over iTV.

The ITC said that digital television penetration in the UK was estimated to have increased to 41.4% of households at the end of 2002, the first time digital penetration had exceeded 40% in the UK.

It added that growth in DTV had also been sparked by the continued success of Sky's digital satellite services. Digital satellite added a further 227,000 pay subscribers compared with last quarter and has an estimated 6.3m subscribers in the UK.

Including analogue services, overall multi-channel penetration is estimated to have increased to almost 47% or 11.5m households. By the end of 2003 it is likely that the majority of households in the UK will have access to more than the five terrestrial services.