The number of households equipped to receive digital TV broadcasts globally has tripled in the period from 2000 to 2008, arriving at 380 million or 25% of total TV households.
According to the Milan-based e-Media Institute, 60% of the digital families live in the most developed TV markets, ie North America and Western Europe.
Digital TV penetration is much lower in other regions of the world, although the growth rates can be significantly higher, primarily in Asia.
In 2012, the overall number of digital homes worldwide is expected to top 700 million.