Decima: 2005 tally of Canadian digital TV subscribers expected to exceed five million

Decima's The Digital Domain quarterly digital TV report estimates there were more than 4.9 million Canadian digital TV subscribers by the end of the third quarter of 2005 and predicts that figure will exceed 5.1 million when the final numbers are in for the year. The accelerated rate of growth is credited to the ongoing efforts of cablecos to switch analog subscribers to digital and to Bell ExpressVu satellite TV, increasing subscribers by 148% during the third quarter of 2005 over same period the previous year.
Key findings include:
* The number of digital TV subscribers (cable and satellite TV combined) in Canada increased by an estimated 242,000 or 5% in the third quarter of 2005, compared to 178,000 or 4% in the same period last year. Digital TV subscribers now number more than 4.9 million Canadians.
* The number of digital cable subscribers increased by an estimated 143,000 or 7% in Q3 2005, compared to an estimated 100,000 or 6% in the same period last year.
* The number of satellite TV subscribers added in Q3 was more than double that added in Q3 2004.
* The number of households capable of receiving high-definition television (HDTV) programming and those with personal video recorders/digital video recorders continues to grow as cablecos and satellite TV companies see strong demand for higher-end digital set-top boxes with HDTV and PVR/DVR capabilities.
By Staff 
February 7, 2006

Decima’s The Digital Domain quarterly digital TV report estimates there were more than 4.9 million Canadian digital TV subscribers by the end of the third quarter of 2005 and predicts that figure will exceed 5.1 million when the final numbers are in for the year. The accelerated rate of growth is credited to the ongoing efforts of cablecos to switch analog subscribers to digital and to Bell ExpressVu satellite TV, increasing subscribers by 148% during the third quarter of 2005 over same period the previous year.

Key findings include:

* The number of digital TV subscribers (cable and satellite TV combined) in Canada increased by an estimated 242,000 or 5% in the third quarter of 2005, compared to 178,000 or 4% in the same period last year. Digital TV subscribers now number more than 4.9 million Canadians.

* The number of digital cable subscribers increased by an estimated 143,000 or 7% in Q3 2005, compared to an estimated 100,000 or 6% in the same period last year.

* The number of satellite TV subscribers added in Q3 was more than double that added in Q3 2004.

* The number of households capable of receiving high-definition television (HDTV) programming and those with personal video recorders/digital video recorders continues to grow as cablecos and satellite TV companies see strong demand for higher-end digital set-top boxes with HDTV and PVR/DVR capabilities.