BMRB Predicts Over Half A Million Digital Cable Subscribers In First Year

Digital cable television, due for launch later this year, is expected to win up to 555,000 subscribers by March 2000 according to The Digital Update figures published by BMRB International. Cable & Wireless Communications, NTL and Telewest are all due to launch their digital cable television services later this year (see Newsline), and these uptake projections for cable put the platform into second place in the digital race, behind BSkyB and ahead of terrestrial broadcasters, ONdigital.

Both BSkyB and ONdigital launched their respective satellite and terrestrial digital television services at the end of last year. Sky claimed 350,000 subscribers to its satellite service by the end of January 1999. At the beginning of this month, ONdigital reported 110,000 subscribers since its launch in November last year (see Newsline).

As regards market share, BMRB predicts that cable will claim nearly 20% of the digital television market in a year’s time, compared to ONdigital’s 12% and BSkyB’s 50%. The international market research company expects that the overall digital television market will grow by at least 3% over the next year and that those definitely planning to access digital TV through cable in the next 12 months will be male, with more than half aged 25-44.

“There is strong latent demand for digital TV on cable,” said Patrick Diamond, author of The Digital Update at BMRB International. “Cable operators can take comfort that their prospective customers are still waiting for their launch rather than opting for Sky or ONdigital now.”

BMRB: 0181 566 5000