Europe and the United States saw subscriber growth in digital terrestrial television transmission and digital satellite services last year, according to a new report from Datamonitor.
Disappointing growth in 2001 and 2002 gave way to a rebound last year with DTT success in Finland, Sweden and the UK, according to the report, entitled “Digital TV markets 2004: Development of the Western European and U.S. markets to 2008.”
By the end of 2007, Datamonitor forecasts that there will be 89 million digital television households in Europe, up from 31 million at the end of 2003. Most of that growth will result from increased digital cable subscriptions and terrestrial services.
In the United States, the digital television market will grow by 36 percent, establishing Europe’s leadership in the DTV market.
The UK will remain the most developed digital television market in Europe as the growth of Sky’s satellite service and the success of Freeview push digital television penetration to 82 percent by the end of 2008, according to the report.
The new report analyzes the issues and trends responsible for DTV development in Europe on a country-by-country and platform basis.
“Digital TV markets 2004: development of the Western European and U.S. markets to 2008” was released in June.
