MinDig TV users in Hungary grow 134,000 to 350,000 in 2012

Antenna Hungária achieved the highest increase in the pay TV market regarding the estimated annual cumulated growth in 2012 – the user number of free-to-air MinDig TV service grew by 134 thousand

From the domestic pay TV service operators Antenna Hungaria achieved the highest increase regarding the estimated annual cumulated pay TV growth in 2012 without taking account the market consolidation. The number of subscribers of MinDig TV Extra service grew by 34 thousand and closed the year with almost 83 thousand subs. The digital terrestrial pay TV service alone could achieve higher increase in the subscribers’ base, than the total estimated annual cumulated pay TV growth besides Antenna Hungária. Significant progress was measured regarding the digital switchover on the digital terrestrial television platform, the number of MinDig TV service users – offering 7 free-to-air digital TV programs – grew by nearly 134 thousand households and reached 350 thousand.

Using the flash report data of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority, it can be said that from the domestic pay TV service operators Antenna Hungaria achieved the highest increase regarding the estimated annual cumulated pay TV growth in 2012 without taking account the market consolidation effects. The number of subscribers of MinDig TV Extra service grew by 34 thousand and closed the year with almost 83 thousand subs. The digital terrestrial pay TV service alone could achieve higher increase in the subscribers’ base, than the total estimated annual cumulated pay TV growth besides Antenna Hungária.

In addition, significant progress was measured regarding the digital switchover on the digital terrestrial television platform, the total number of MinDig TV service users – offering 7 free-to-air digital TV programs – grew by nearly 134 thousand households based on the statistics of Nielsen. The latest Ipsos survey shows that the household usage of MinDig TV grew to 350 thousand by the end of 2012. The awareness of the digital terrestrial television services continued to increase as a result of the advertisement campaigns and about 92% of Hungarian households have heard about MinDig TV, while some 76% of the households know about MinDig TV Extra service based on the DVB-T platform monitoring survey made by Ipsos. 98% of the population can access the free-to-air digital offer and the MinDig TV Extra Basic package with an indoor or rooftop antenna, the digital terrestrial programs can be received from 65 sites.

AH hopes to register a continued increase in the popularity of MinDig TV and MinDig TV Extra services as we are approaching the analogue terrestrial television networks’ switch-off. The company is fully prepared for the last stage of the digital switchover and is ready to contribute to the smooth analogue switch-off process.