Freeview sales pass 10 million

Sales of Freeview set-top boxes have passed the 10 million landmark. The terrestrial digital TV service is now in about 6 million homes, meaning it is slowly catching up on Sky, which is in 8 million homes. While the availability of bargain set top boxes (£30 in most supermarkets) has helped the boom, retailers report good sales of more expensive boxes too, with some consumers opting for the extra functionality offered by top of the range models. Stats also suggest that more younger viewers and families are opting for Freeview, which means the terrestrial network is now operating more in Sky's territory. A spokesman for Freeview said yesterday: "At the start of Freeview in 2002, it was reasonable to say that it was appealing more to older people. That's no longer true."