Freeview overtakes Sky in digital TV

The subscription-free service - operated by a consortium including the BBC and Channel 4 - is already more popular than analogue just four and a half years since its launch.

Our Money reporter, Emily Reuben, answers a few questions about it all.

What are the figures for Freeview and Sky?

Freeview has certainly had huge growth and is now in 8.2 million homes. It offers 30 channels for a one-off fee of £30 so it's a good deal. Its main competitor is Sky, now in 8 million homes in the UK. Obviously, they offer a big package with broadband and numerous channels which cost anything from £15 a month upwards.

Is it surprising that Freeview is so popular?

It's not really a surprise as they're at the forefront of the government's campaign to get us to switch over to digital.

Freeview are planning on further expansion, saying they'll be in 10 million homes by 2012 as they are introducing their Playback machine. This allows you to record any channel as well as pause and rewind live TV which is similar to Sky's own Sky Plus.

Can people not use their VCRs?

The problem is that VCRs won't work by 2012 when the analogue system are switched off - although that didn't stop half a million people buying one last Christmas.

So who will come out top between Sky and Freeview?

There's room for both in the market place although Sky could place a spanner in the works by pulling three of their free channels on Freeview and replacing them with pay-per-view channels, claiming this will offer more choice to consumers.

Sky has also enjoyed its biggest growth in six years and says there's a place for both in the digital TV market.

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