Digital TV update - Q2 2010
Platform quarterly results
3.1 This section includes a comparison of net additions during the quarter across the various platforms. In the case of DTT these are based on the survey results. The satellite and cable platform additions are based on figures reported by the main platform operators. These are included for information only and to help give context to our research; they do not feed into our calculations for multichannel take-up, as set out in sections 1 and 2.
3.2 Within the free-to-view sector, survey results suggested that the number of homes using DTT on any TV set was broadly stable in the quarter, up slightly by around 12,000 in Q1 to reach 18.7 million homes. The figure was up by 500,000 year on year. All homes using DTT therefore includes satellite and cable homes using DTT on a secondary set. In the free satellite market, BBC/ITV freesat reported sales of around 242,000 during Q2.
3.3 BSkyB’s Q2 results for the UK and the Republic of Ireland reported a net increase of 90,000 paying satellite subscribers. Based on the historical split of additions, we estimate that approximately 72,000 of these were UK homes. Virgin Media reported net additions of 22,000 cable TV subscribers during the quarter and, when including additional conversions from analogue cable, the increase in digital subscriptions stood at almost 26,000.
3.4 Using these results as a guide, free satellite had the highest additions in Q2 with 242,000 retail sales during the quarter. Converting that figure into new homes would equate to over a two-thirds (69.5%) share of additions during the quarter, but it is possible that a share of these sales could also overlap with other platforms in the home. Pay satellite reported the second highest volume of net additions in Q2, accounting for over a fifth (20.7%) of the total, with cable taking a 6.3% share and DTT the remaining 3.4% (Figure 9).
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