ONdigital announces 247,000 Subscribers
8th July 1999
ONdigital has signed up 137,000 subscribers in the three months to the end of June 1999, making a total of 247,000 subscribers signed since the launch of ONdigital last November. In June alone, a total of 68,000 subscribers have signed up to ONdigital.
ONdigital chief executive Stephen Grabiner says:
We've gone from a standing start to a quarter of a million new subscribers in just over six months. That's a record for the launch of a digital television service in Europe. We're well on track to achieve our three year target of two million subscribers.
Our free set top box gives viewers the very best of television. This summer sports fans can watch the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, the Copa America, featuring the football stars of Argentina and Brazil, the Tour de France, The Rugby World Cup and complete coverage of Test Match cricket. There are top movies, like Scream, The Devil's Advocate, The English Patient and Boogie Nights and the chance to see again the best television series from Murder One to the Darling Buds of May. For the kids' holidays, as well as Cartoon Network and Carlton Kids there's the games channel. And there's MTV, now ONdigital for the first time.
Our growing coverage, lower costs and rapid take-up all make a powerful case for an early statement by the Government on switching over from analogue to digital transmissions.
This autumn, we will see more integrated digital televisions, the launch of e-mail, more exclusive programming, including exclusive live Tuesday night UEFA Champions League coverage.
In an exciting new initiative, ONdigital boxes and subscriptions are now available direct to customers, via our Internet website and telephone sales service as well as through over 5,000 high street retailers. ONdigital is the only digital service to offer free boxes, no connection charge - and now, free delivery.
ONdigital's coverage is improving rapidly. Over 75% of UK households can now receive digital TV through their aerials. In the last three months, nearly a million more homes can receive the service. By early 2000 over 90% of households will be able to receive digital TV through their aerials.
In a further development ONdigital announced that its telephony offer, bringing subscribers up to 40% off their telephone bills, will be delivered in partnership with British Telecom. BT will ensure that ONdigital customers will make the biggest possible savings on their BT phone bills, taking account of any current BT promotion or offer. These savings can be made without having to dial a prefix number before making the call.
Notes to Editors:
ONdigital website: http://www.ondigital.co.uk
For the latest pictures from ONdigital go to the PA Bulletin Board and look for ONdigital under the Pixelect TV companies icon