Freeview in two million UK homes

net1

FREEVIEW, the digital terrestrial television service, is expected to be in taken up by two million UK homes before its first anniversary at the end of next month.

The free-to-air service, is believed to be the fastest-selling consumer technology to reach one million households. Andy Duncan, BBC marketing and communications director, who was responsible for Freeview's launch, said: "It has gone better than anyone, myself included, predicted."

Sales of the basic receivers, which have now come down to about £80 (E115), are still running at the rate of 100,000 a month. Some suggest there could be four million Freeview homes by the end of next year. Channel 4 has already said it plans to launch a channel for the over 30s, provisionally called More4, in 2005.