Freeview set to be the fastest growing consumer technology

The BBC’s figures show that Freeview is rapidly attracting new converts to digital television and that free digital terrestrial TV (DTT) is not directly competing with subscription models such as SkyDigital.
Freeview is showing signs of outstripping other comparable new consumer technologies. Since January sales have reached over 100,000 a month - with total sales of adapters in excess of 800,000 since the launch in October, bringing the total number of adapters in use up to an estimated 1.6 million.
The news comes one month before the first anniversary of the BBC's joint application with BSkyB and Crown Castle to the ITC for the DTT licences made available following the collapse of ITV Digital.
The research showed that previously hard to reach rejecters of digital TV are buying the Freeview adapters in significant numbers and that approval ratings for the new technology are high.
Andy Duncan, Director, BBC Marketing & Communications, said: "We are pleased with the early success and rapid take up of Freeview and that we are getting our BBC Digital TV channels and Radio networks to so many new homes.
"The 'freeview' proposition of a one-off payment and no contract is clearly attracting a lot of our audience who would not have previously considered digital.
"It is also encouraging that these newcomers to digital are expressing high levels of satisfaction with the service they are getting, with the vast majority saying they would recommend to a friend."
Figures show that for around nine in ten customers, Freeview is the only digital system in their house, and nearly three-quarters of those people are completely new to digital. This indicates that Freeview appeals to groups not catered for by the rest of the market, a fact backed up by 83% of Freeview consumers stating that they did not consider getting any other system.
The most significant factors, attracting 65% of customers, is the one-off payment and the lack of a contract. Other positive drivers include the fact that Freeview is available via a plug-in adapter, and the low cost of units.
The BBC's digital channels too are important. Just over half of the 1,000 users surveyed said that the BBC’s digital channels were a significant factor in their purchase decision, and one in four stated that this was of extreme importance.
The Freeview consortium is comprised of the BBC, BSkyB and Crown Castle.
(SP)