Free digital television and radio service, Freeview, has celebrated its first year of sales by revealing that between 1.7 and 2.1 million households now receive the service.
Since January this year sales of Freeview boxes have been running at an average of 100,000 per month, placing it amongst the fastest-growing consumer electronics product ever.
The success of Freeview, in contrast to the failure of ITV Digital, has been attributed to the simple nature of the service. According to research, key drivers are the fact that there is no contract and that all the channels are free. Over 80% of customers cite these as important reasons for buying Freeview.
The service has successfully begun to bridge the digital divide by attracting a distinct category of consumer; three quarters of those purchasing Freeview boxes are new to digital TV.
Set-top box sales are expected to surge in the run up to Christmas. During the last twelves months, 38 manufacturers have launched over 100 different Freeview-enabled products.
