TalkTalk TV adds 150,000 subs
May 16, 2013
TalkTalk signed up 150,000 new subscribers to its YouView service in the first three months of this year – making it the UK’s fastest-growing new TV service. The leap took the total number of TV customers on the company’s network to more than 230,000 at the end of March, with 12,000 new customers taking the service each week.
Early data reveals that three-quarters of those signing up are upgrading from Freeview. TalkTalk believes many of these people have previously resisted on-demand services because they were unwilling to commit to costly, long-term contracts.
The group also posted full-year revenue at £1.7 billion, down 1 per cent but in line with forecasts.
Dido Harding, TalkTalk’s chief executive, said: “We have the UK’s fastest growing TV service and our customers clearly appreciate it is great value for money. We believe, over time, that three-quarters of our customer base will take our TV offer. It is a brilliant way to start the pay-TV journey, particularly for families seeking great value mass-market entertainment.”
TalkTalk launched its YouView service at the end of September 2012, providing customers with a free YouView set top box worth £299 giving them the ability to pause, rewind and record up to 4,000 shows from 70 channels plus seven-day catch-up at no extra charge.
In the autumn TalkTalk will launch a value-for-money Essentials TV product with a smaller, lower-cost YouView set-top box, which will be available to all 4 million TalkTalk customers. The company also plans to offer a wider range of specialist channels including some catering for different languages.