A new report from Informa Telecoms & Media shows that 40% of homes in Western Europe will have digital TV by the end of this year.
Informa’s Western European TV report forecasts that the region will pass 100 million digital homes during 2010 and reach 116 million by the end of 2011, equivalent to a 75% penetration rate.
By the end of 2006, the UK will account for 32% of the region’s digital TV homes, followed by Germany with 18% and France with 14%.
| Digital TV households (million) |
| |
2006 |
2011 |
| UK |
19.7 |
25.3 |
| Germany |
11.1 |
21.8 |
| France |
8.3 |
18.3 |
| Rest of region |
21.9 |
50.6 |
| Total |
61 |
116 |
While it will remain the digital leader, the UK’s dominance will wane over the next five years, dropping to 22% of the total by 2011, despite adding more than five million digital subscribers to the 2006 figure.
Adam Thomas, Informa’s media researcher manager, said: “Upgrades to digital are taking off and, as the market progresses, so the practical realities of concepts such as convergence and quadruple-play become clearer.
“We are seeing a groundswell of interest in comprehensive services that can offer traditional broadcast TV plus a range of other options. These include things like pay TV, video-on-demand, high-definition, DVRs, broadband and telephony, both fixed and mobile. TV companies and telcos are positioning themselves to meet this growing demand.”
He added: “The signs of progress towards converged services are there for all to see. During 2005, 10.7 million TV households upgraded to digital in Western Europe. By the end of 2011 a further 67.5 million will make the same transition.”
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