Dutch digital TV connections grow 2% in Q2

The number of digital TV connections in the Netherlands grew by 2.0 percent during the second quarter to 6.2 million, according to Telecompaper’s latest quarterly report. As a result, more than 80 percent of TV subscribers in the Netherlands use digital TV. Total TV connections on the market were up by 0.3 percent over the three months to 7.696 million.

Ziggo led both the digital and total TV markets in terms of number of subscribers, while KPN was second in digital and third on the overall market. UPC took second on the total market and was third in digital. Overall, the cable operators had 58.3 percent of digital subscribers in the quarter, despite losing market share due to growing adoption of IPTV via DSL and FTTH. 

Telecompaper expects the number of digital users to grow by another 10 percent this year, after 13 percent annual growth in 2011. The total TV market is expected to expand just under 1 percent. Digital growth is driven by an increasing number of operators offering triple-play services, as well as the growing prevalence of ‘second screen’ TV services, which allow digital TV subscribers to watch the TV service also on their tablets, computers or mobile phones, according to the market researcher.