Advanced Television

Digital cable reached 18%

October 15, 2008

Digital cable subscribers have jumped 18 per cent to 16.3m in the first half of the year.

Cable Europe, the cable industry association representing operators reaching more than 70m households, welcomed the figures as evidence that cable platforms can attract new customers for digital TV, internet and telephony services.

Manuel Kohnstamm, President of Cable Europe, said: "Demand for digital services is showing that customers are upgrading their older analogue services faster than ever. The new digital services enable the industry to provide a richer audience experience."

Of Europe's largest pay-TV markets, Screen Digest, which comiled the figures, reported 32 per cent growth in Germany to 3.4m customers; 12 per cent in France and Spain to 1.6m and 1.05m customers respectively; a 15 per cent increase in the Netherlands to 1.8m; and 3 per cent growth to 3.36m customers in the highly competitive UK market.

The growth rates in digital TV services were broadly mirrored in cable internet and cable telephony, which rose 6.7 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively for Europe as a whole between the end of 2007 and June 30, 2008.

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