Sky has confirmed it has reached its target of seven million subscribers three months ahead of schedule. BSkyB hoped to reach the landmark by 2004. The news comes quite conveniently on the fifth anniversary of the launch of Sky Digital. Sky's outgoing CEO, Tony Ball, has now set a new target of eight million subscribers to be achieved by the end of 2005.
Ball: "When we set the seven million target over three years ago it was way ahead of market expectations. Reaching the milestone three months early is a fantastic achievement for the company and I congratulate the excellent team that has made it possible. With more than half of UK households yet to make the switch to digital, I am highly confident that Sky will achieve its next target of eight million subscribers by the end of 2005, and generate significant long term growth thereafter."