Subscriptions to pay-TV channels on the Finnish Welho cablenet increased significantly in the second quarter. Figures published for parent company SWelcom, part of the media giant SanomaWSOY, saw a year on year increase of 33,000 to 103,000 pay-TV subscriptions at June 30, 2008. The number of households connected has also risen from 312,000 to 321,000.
The cablenet has been further boosted by the launch of new HD services, firstly Eurosport HD during May, and most recently the HD version of SWelcom’s own channel Nelonen. The Finnish fourth channel became the first free-to-air HD channel to lunch on Welho. The cablenet has also befitted from sales of digital boxes and increased broadband speeds.
Proprietary premium channels KinoTV and Urheilu+kanava have over 100,000 and 300,000 subscribers respectively.
In the first six months of 2008, SWelcom increased its net sales by 15.3% to €81.4 million.
