Satellite TV gains popularity in Italy

Satellite TV is now received by 8.2 million homes in Italy, according to survey carried out by Ipsos on behalf of satellite operator Eutelsat.

Eutelsat’s 13° East Hotbird satellite signals are received by 7.3 million homes, representing growth of 200,000 over the last two years. A further 700,000 homes can receive signals from other Eutelsat satellites, including Eutelsat 16A, 9A and 7 West A.

Just over half of satellite homes – 4.8 million – subscribe to pay TV service Sky Italia. Some 2.4 million households watch free-to-air signals, including 1.5 million equipped to receive free-to-air platform TivùSat.

Of Italy’s overall base of 24.7 million TV homes, 16 million watch terrestrial TV, while 250,000 subscribe to IPTV services, according to the survey.