Austria is fast becoming a country without analogue terrestrial and satellite reception. Only cable is lagging behind in the digitalisation process, according to the latest report from the telecom authorities KommAustria and RTR to the counry’s parliament.
Midway through 2008, about 47% of all Austrian households were digital homes, an increase of 16% as compared with the end of 2006. The remaining 53% still received analogue signals. During the second half of last year, digital penetration reached over 50% of all 3.4 million TV households in the country.
With regards to digital terrestrial reception, 535,000 set-top boxes had been sold as of June 30, 2008, and the technical reach of the DTT network reached 78% of the country. All analogue broadcasts will cease at the end of 2010 or early 2011 at the latest.
Cable is lagging behind in the digitalisation process. Between 3% and 4% of all TV households in the country subscribed to digital services as of mid-2008, despite a special action offering subsidized cable tuners, which was launched in 2007. About 39% of all households in the country subscribed to cable TV.
The report also claims mobile TV is a big hit in the country following the launch of the DVB-H network, reaching 50% of the population.