The market for digital satellite set-top boxes is set to continue to grow over the new few years, says Instat, and by 2008 a total of 71 million devices are expected to be in use worldwide.
According to a new report from the high-tech market research firm, the driving force behind the surge in digital satellite set-top boxes will be the number of pay-television subscribers, combined with other factors such as the continued demand for digital free-to-air receivers, new service launches in India and the upgrading of boxes in Europe.
Senior analyst, Michelle Abraham said: “Today, direct broadcast satellite or direct to home is the most popular way to receive digital TV signals in most of the world and in order to receive and watch the digital content transmitted via satellite on a TV, a consumer must have a digital satellite set-top box.”
Although millions of boxes have been shipped since launched in 1994, millions more are expected to sold as growing areas such as Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
In terms of shipment, the free-to-air box is expected to grow at a rapid pace and overtake the pay-TV box this year, as prices continue to fall in all regions, making the equipment accessible to more households.
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