UK High Def Penetration Increases

HDTV is rapidly gaining ground with British TV viewers. According to industry monitors GFK it is estimated that almost one-third of all flat-screen sets sold in the UK in September were ‘HD Ready.’ UK satellite broadcaster Sky says estimates suggest that around 700,000 HD sets were sold in the UK by the end of December 2005. The total is expected to rise to around two million by the end of 2006.

Insiders have been saying that they can't make flat screens fast enough, because demand for the new format was underestimated early this year, putting a brake on production. HDTV is now being heavily promoted by broadcasters like Sky, who have a joined forces with Sony to support the platform.

Sky is due to launch its HDTV service early this year, while cable service provider Telewest started a service in December that already pipes HDTV to several hundred homes in West London. Set manufacturers are now stepping up to meet growing demand.