Satellite Exceeds Cable’s Reach in Europe in 2009

For the first time, satellite reaches more households than cable in Europe, with 77 million satellite and 71 million cable households, according to the annual survey conducted by satellite operator SES. Terrestrial infrastructures reach 86.5 million households; however, not even half of them (48 percent) are digital.

The digitalization rate of satellite increased to 92 percent, with a total of 71 million out of the 77 million satellite households being digital. Cable still shows the lowest digitalization rate, with one third or 34 percent (24 million) of all 71 million cable households being digital. IPTV is – by definition – 100 percent digitalised and reaches nine million households across Europe.

125 million HD Ready TV sets have been sold since the start of HD in 2005. It is expected that by 2013, an estimated 55 million households will be equipped with both an HD Ready TV set and a suitable HD receiver. Satellite is expected to remain the largest distribution platform for HD.

These are the results of the latest SES ASTRA Satellite Monitor, conducted in 29 European and North African countries, and based on almost 70,000 face-to-face and telephone interviews. Among the highlights of the study:

· Around 60 percent or 146 million TV homes receive programs digitally (includes all reception modes: satellite, cable, terrestrial, IPTV)

· Satellite serves every second digital TV household and reaches 71 million digital homes (49 percent of the digital market); cable reaches 24 million digital homes (16 percent), terrestrial reaches 41.7 million digital homes (29 percent), IPTV reaches nine million homes (6 percent).