Digital TV homes will top one billion this year

The addition of 130 million new digital TV homes will take the global total to over one billion for the first time, according to new research.

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Digital TV Research says that digital homes will top one billion by year-end and that global digital TV penetration will reach two thirds of TV households by that point.

There will, however, be large disparities in digital penetration rates by region with North America 97.1% digital and Latin America just 51.5% by end-2014.

China will have the greatest overall number of digital homes with 289 million, ahead of the US with 114 million, India with 96.4 million and Japan with 42.2 million.

By platform, digital cable will lead the way with 374 million subs.

Digital TV Research also noted that the number of pay TV households – analog and digital – will reach 886 million by end-2014, up from 715 million in 2010. Global pay TV penetration will increase from 49.1% in 2010 to 57.1% in 2014.