Freeview product sales continue strong growth

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 11-Mar-08, 11:00

LONDON - Freeview product sales jumped 69% year on year to a record 3.8m in the fourth quarter of 2007, with 180,000 Freeview-branded Playback digital video recorders being sold.

Freeview Playback-branded units accounted for 209,000 of the 400,000 digital terrestrial recorders sold during 2007. The brand was launched late last year, and in 2006 accounted for 82,000 of 205,000 units sold.

The biggest category in growth and volume terms was digital television sets with integrated Freeview receivers. Fourth-quarter sales were up 133% year on year to 2.1m.

Set-top box sales rose 27% to 1.5m while Freeview Playback sales rose 100% to 180,000.

Ilse Howling, general manager of Freeview, said: "Freeview continues to be a truly compelling offer and the latest sales figures further cement our position as the most popular digital platform in the UK.

"More than half the homes in the country now have Freeview and the value of Freeview Playback is set to grow further for these homes and the millions of others with additional sets still to convert."