Over 450m Digital TV Homes Worldwide By 2006, Says Informa

The fourth edition of Digital Broadcasting Revolution forecasts that these countries will have 148 million digital homes by 2006, representing 55% penetration. The top seven recorded 41 million digital homes at the end of 2000, giving 16% penetration of all TV households.

Global Digital TV Homes by Platform in Top Seven Countries (000)
	2000	2001	2002	2006
Cable	12,575	20,776	29,347	78,995
Satellite	27,406	33,747	38,012	49,225
DSL	40	115	391	6,339
DTT	1,420	2,231	3,227	13,535
Total	41,441	56,869	70,976	148,094
Source: Informa Media Group

National comparisons The UK has the highest digital penetration in the world, with a well established DTH (satellite) platform, a subscription-based digital terrestrial television (DTT) package and rapid developments in cable.

By 2006, 64% – or 16 million – UK homes are forecast to take digital. This is a substantial increase on the 9.4 million and 39% penetration achieved by the end of 2001. DTH will remain the dominant platform, reaching 31% of homes by 2006. However, digital cable will be taken by 21% of TV households – or 5.1 million homes.

By 2006 in the US, digital cable – which started slowly – is forecast to reach 53 million homes – a 50% penetration, when total digital penetration will be 79% or 84.5 million homes. DTH and cable are expected to continue to dominate.

Digital Homes by Platforms in Top Seven Countries 2006 (000s)
	Cable	Satellite	DSL Video	DTT	Total	Digital/TV HH %
France	3,601	4,085	210	803	8,699	39.0
Germany	8,986	1,541	542	366	11,434	32.0
Italy	129	3,574	167	1,389	5,258	25.0
Japan	6,559	3,700	347	5,796	16,402	38.0
Spain	1,357	3,104	223	1,102	5,786	48.0
UK	5,117	7,800	850	2,225	15,992	64.0
USA	53,247	25,422	4,000	1,854	84,524	79.0
Total	78,995	49,225	6,339	13,535	148,094	55.0
Source: Informa Media Group, October 2001

Spain is enjoying rapid digital deployment, involving rapid cable construction, a subscription-based DTT service and two fiercely competitive DTH packages. By 2006, digital penetration is forecast to shoot up to 48%, or 5.8 million homes, with DTH remaining the dominant platform.

By 2006, France is forecast to have 8.7 million digital homes, giving 39% penetration. DTH will represent 47% of the 2006 total, closely followed by cable at 41%, with DSL (2%) and DTT (9%) making up the rest.

Despite high analogue cable take-up, Germans have proved reluctant to sign up to digital services. By 2006, nearly one-third of German homes are expected to take digital TV signals, or 11.4 million in total. By then, digital cable will be taken by a quarter of TV homes – or 9 million.

Italy is likely to have the lowest digital penetration of the top seven, representing only a quarter of TV households by 2006. The main reasons for this are a proliferation of terrestrial analogue channels, low cable construction and delayed legislation on DTT. However, the two main operators are due to merge, thus presenting a single service that should attract subscribers.

Japan has also had limited take-up of digital services, though it is likely to enjoy faster take-up than Italy in coming years. By 2006, 38% of Japanese homes are forecast to take digital services – or 16.4 million homes. At this time DTH will be in third place behind cable and DTT.