Records sales of Freeview digital TV boxes over Christmas mean five million
UK homes now have the service, the BBC has said.

It said up to 1.5 million boxes had been sold in the lead-up to Christmas,
with 190,000 sold in each of the two weeks before the holidays.

The boxes enable viewers to pick up a range of digital TV and radio services
without paying a subscription.
Before Christmas 2003, 140,000 sets were sold each week.

Media watchdog Ofcom said 3.9 million UK homes had Freeview in September
2004.

This figure compared with Sky's 7.1 million subscribers and 2.5 million
subscribers to digital TV service from cable providers such as NTL and
Telewest.

Around a quarter of the Freeview sales in the last three months of the year
were thought to be from households that already had access to digital TV.

"Free digital television has a huge appeal and shows no sign of slowing
down," said Ilse Howling, the BBC's head of digital marketing and
communications. Freeview is a joint venture between the BBC, BSkyB and US
transmission firm Crown Castle.

The BBC released Freeview figures ahead of an Ofcom report into whether a
switch to digital-only TV is attainable by 2012, the government's planned
date for an end to analogue transmissions.

Sky has adopted a bold approach to try and poach viewers from Freeview. It
will broadcast an episode of the fourth series of hit US drama series 24 on
Sky Travel, available through Freeview, to tempt Freeview
customers to subscribe.

It will be shown on 30 January, at the same time it is aired on Sky One.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...io/4183633.stm