The US is forecast to have nearly 45 million digital households, some 46% of the world’s total, by the end of 2003. Penetration will rise to 105 million homes at the end of decade, equivalent to 27% of the global total.
The most rapid growth will occur in China which will see a net gain of more than 77 million digital homes between now and 2010 and rise to second place in the rankings. The top five countries will account for nearly two-thirds of the worldwide total in 2010, down from nearly three-quarters this year.
Informa claims that at the end of 2003, the UK will have the highest digital penetration rate, at 44%, but it will fall to eleventh place in 2010. By the close of the decade, digital penetration will exceed 66% of TV households in ten countries.
An overview of the future digital landscape is available Digital TV Approaches 100 Million Homes.
| Global Digital TV Rankings, By Country |
| |
| 2003 |
2010 |
| Position |
Country |
Digital Homes (000s) |
Position |
Country |
Digital Homes (000s) |
| 1 |
USA |
44,851 |
1 (-) |
USA |
105,864 |
| 2 |
UK |
10,824 |
2 (+14) |
China |
78,113 |
| 3 |
Japan |
5,572 |
3 (-) |
Japan |
25,514 |
| 4 |
Canada |
4,834 |
4 (+25) |
India |
22,528 |
| 5 |
France |
4,717 |
5 (+1) |
Germany |
18,212 |
| 6 |
Germany |
3,916 |
6 (-4) |
UK |
16,649 |
| 7 |
Italy |
2,768 |
7 (-2) |
France |
11,480 |
| 8 |
South Korea |
2,302 |
8 (-) |
South Korea |
10,996 |
| 9 |
Spain |
1,769 |
9 (-5) |
Canada |
10,544 |
| 10 |
Poland |
1,433 |
10 (+1) |
Brazil |
7,858 |
| 11 |
Brazil |
1,351 |
11 (-4) |
Italy |
7,071 |
| 12 |
Mexico |
1,179 |
12 (-3) |
Spain |
6,348 |
| 13 |
Sweden |
1,128 |
13 (+4) |
Russia |
6,157 |
| 14 |
Australia |
941 |
14 (-2) |
Mexico |
5,414 |
| 15 |
Malaysia |
916 |
15 (-5) |
Poland |
5,255 |
| 16 |
China |
900 |
16 (+14) |
Netherlands |
4,196 |
| 17 |
Russia |
890 |
17 (-3) |
Australia |
4,126 |
| 18 |
Argentina |
464 |
18 (+7) |
Taiwan |
4,056 |
| 19 |
Venezuela |
453 |
19 (+8) |
Thailand |
3,445 |
| 20 |
New Zealand |
452 |
20 (-7) |
Sweden |
3,427 |
| 21 |
Portugal |
426 |
21 (-3) |
Argentina |
3,315 |
| 22 |
Ireland |
395 |
22 (+1) |
Belgium |
2,595 |
| 23 |
Belgium |
390 |
23 (-2) |
Portugal |
2,260 |
| 24 |
Finland |
383 |
24 (+2) |
Switzerland |
2,233 |
| 25 |
Taiwan |
347 |
25 (-10) |
Malaysia |
2,228 |
| 26 |
Switzerland |
341 |
26 (-7) |
Venezuela |
2,028 |
| 27 |
Thailand |
317 |
27 (+12) |
Philippines |
1,943 |
| 28 |
Denmark |
310 |
28 (-) |
Denmark |
1,664 |
| 29 |
India |
306 |
29 (-5) |
Finland |
1,617 |
| 30 |
Netherlands |
262 |
30 (+7) |
Colombia |
1,490 |
| 31 |
Norway |
241 |
31 (+1) |
Austria |
1,365 |
| 32 |
Austria |
181 |
32 (+9) |
Indonesia |
1,265 |
| 33 |
Chile |
158 |
33 (-) |
Chile |
1,242 |
| 34 |
Puerto Rico |
156 |
34 (+1) |
Hungary |
1,216 |
| 35 |
Hungary |
134 |
35 (-4) |
Norway |
1,180 |
| 36 |
Greece |
132 |
36 (+7) |
Hong Kong |
1,164 |
| 37 |
Colombia |
99 |
37 (+3) |
Czech Rep. |
1,131 |
| 38 |
Singapore |
89 |
38 (+4) |
Romania |
1,109 |
| 39 |
Philippines |
85 |
39 (-17) |
Ireland |
974 |
| 40 |
Czech Rep. |
79 |
40 (-20) |
New Zealand |
933 |
| 41 |
Indonesia |
52 |
41 (-3) |
Singapore |
737 |
| 42 |
Romania |
33 |
42 (-6) |
Greece |
627 |
| 43 |
Hong Kong |
27 |
43 (-9) |
Puerto Rico |
536 |
| Source: Informa Media Group, May 2003 |
