The number of digital TV homes in the leading seven countries will double in the next six years, according to a new report from Informa Media Group.
DTH remains the most popular platform for receiving digital television and there will be 38 million subscribers in the featured countries at the end of this year. This is expected to increase by almost a third to 50 million by 2008. However, DTH is set to be eclipsed by digital cable which will eventually account for 67 million subscribers or half of the digital population.
The DTT sector has been hit by the collapse of ITV Digital and Quiero and there is no sign of expansion in the near future. Nonetheless, it is estimated that the number of DTT homes in the major countries will quadruple to 8 million by 2008. DSL video services are an emerging technology but Informa predicts that they will attract more than 10 million subscribers in the main markets over the next six years.
Digital TV Homes By Platform In Top Seven Countries (000s) | ||||
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2008 | |
Cable | 19,257 | 24,876 | 31,379 | 67,219 |
DTH | 34,022 | 38,314 | 41,470 | 50,139 |
DSL Video | 110 | 333 | 1,035 | 10,425 |
DTT | 2,273 | 2,189 | 2,972 | 8,206 |
Total | 57,663 | 67,714 | 78,859 | 137,997 |
Source: Informa Media Group, October 2002 |
The United States is the leading DTV country with more than 40 million subscribers and it will consolidate its position between now and 2008. However, Japan is set to experience the highest growth rate and will overtake the UK in the next six years.
Digital Homes By Country (000s) | |||
2002 | 2008 | % Growth | |
France | 4,516 | 10,977 | 143 |
Germany | 2,172 | 9,174 | 322 |
Italy | 2,431 | 6,057 | 149 |
Japan | 3,938 | 18,386 | 367 |
Spain | 2,500 | 5,227 | 109 |
UK | 9,889 | 15,757 | 59 |
USA | 40,226 | 70,413 | 75 |
Total | 67,674 | 137,999 | 104 |
Source: Informa Media Group, October 2002 |