Dutch digital TV reaches 60%

The number of digital TV  households in The Netherlands has now reached 60%, according to two recently published research results. Telecompaper said the number of digital TV homes now is 4.71 million, or 59.2% of the market. The Immovator Digital Monitor said there are 4.5 million digital households, or 64% of the market, based on research by GfK.

According to Telecompaper, there are now 7.95 million TV homes in the country. Of the 4.71 million digital homes, cable is the main digital infrastructure with a 53.9% share. Satellite DTH is the runner-up with 20.9%, followed by digital terrestrial (Digitenne) with 18.8%. IPTV now accounts for a 6.4% market share of the total digital TV market.

The Immovator/GfK research concludes that 70% of all Dutch homes now have a Full HD or HD Ready screen. This figure is slightly higher than originally anticipated, as the sales of flat screens was 1.9 million during the past year, better than the original forecasts. In 2010, GfK expects sales of flat screens to reach 1.95 million. TV sets with LED technology are fast gaining ground, and GfK expects that in 2011 the technology will be incorporated in half of all the TV sets sold.

With regards to the market of set-top boxes, GfK said that during the fourth quarter of 2009 the number of HD set tops surpassed the number of SD sets sold. The market of CI Plus CAM is also strongly progressing, according to the research.