Digital TV homes to double in CEE


Digital switchover and digital cable upgrades mean that the number of digital TV homes in central and eastern Europe will more than double in the five years to 2016, according to new forecasts.

Informa Telecoms & Media says that at end-2011 there will be 64 million digital TV homes in the region and this figure will rocket to 148 million by end-2016. Digital penetration will rise to 86% accordingly.

By 2016, cable subscriptions (both analog and cable) will have 21% penetration, although the region’s historic use of analog cable as a ‘utility’ TV service will mean that fewer than half of these (47%) will be digital. Pay DTH will also have 21% penetration by end-2016, with DTT and IPTV at 39% and 5% respectively.