Sky+ users rise by 75%

by Ian Quinn, Media Week 28-Jul-06, 13:12

The number of households armed with BskyB's personal video recorder Sky+ has risen by 75% in the last year, according to the company's annual results out today.

BskyB said 19% of its households, or 1.5m homes, now have one of the devices.
Sky's overall subscriber base grew by 77,000 in the final quarter, up 389,000 across the year, with 8,176,000 subscribers in the UK and Ireland as of 30 June.

Revenues were up 8% over the financial year to more than £4bn. BskyB's advertising operation, Sky Media, outperformed the weak TV market to grow revenues by 4% to £342m and increase its market share from 12% to 13%.

However, this year many expect the number of Sky subscribers to be overtaken by Freeview, with the company also at the heart of a major battle with the likes of Orange and The Carphone Warehouse for supremacy in the broadband market.