The UK will be the most advanced digital television market in Europe by 2004, with almost 10 million digital homes, a new report has shown. According to technology research company Datamonitor, the UK and France will lead digital developments in Europe and by 2004 the UK will have 9.9 million digital TV homes, representing 27% of the TV marketplace. Datamonitor’s report, Digital TV Markets In Europe, 1999-2004, also predicts that satellite will be the dominant platform over the coming years, taking more than 50% of the European digital market; digital cable TV will account for 34% and digital terrestrial 15%.
Satellite’s leading role is largely to be driven by the platform’s dominance in the principle French (Canal+) and British (BSkyB) markets. Elsewhere in Europe cable is generally the preferred delivery system. Datamonitor says that digital terrestrial television will gain market share only in the longer term, depending on the price of the set-top box and the planned switch-off of analogue television.
Alexander Rainer, author of the report, says: “Since digital conversions will continue to be a main driver of digital pay-TV in the future, many satellite pay-TV operators will achieve full migration of analogue subscribers in the next five years, leading to significant cost reductions through the switch off of analogue transmissions.”
