The number of households receiving digital TV channels from Freeview has overtaken the number of Sky satellite TV subscribers for the first time since digital TV was launched, new figures from media regulator Ofcom reveal today.

Ofcom’s quarterly Digital Television Progress Report shows that 673,000 bought Freeview boxes for the first time in January, February and March bringing the total number of homes with Freeview to 8.4 million.

This compares to 32,020 net new subscribers to BSkyB's digital service, which brought its total to just over 8 million.

The cable network, owned by Virgin Media, the former NTL:Telewest, gained an additional 36,100 new homes during the quarter, outperforming Sky for the first time in more than five years. Its total is now 3.4 million.

Together the total number of UK homes with digital channels reached 20.4 million, 80.5 per cent of homes or four out of every five households, up from 77.2 per cent at the end of last year. This is good news for Ofcom which aims to begin switching off the analogue TV signal over the next few years.

Ofcom said the 1.96 million who bought Freeview set top boxes or televisions in the quarter made it the highest first quarter for Freeview sales ever - although many of these would have been replacing existing Freeview equipment.

Even a relative tiddler in the market, broadband operator Tiscali, appeared to be doing well following its acquisition of digital TV operator Home Choice, growing the number of its customers with TV over broadband by 44 per cent or 19,000 homes to 62,000.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said: "More than four in five UK households are now enjoying the benefits of digital television. It’s great news that we are continuing to see the market grow strongly as we approach the start of digital switchover."

BSkyB is 39 per cent owned by News Corp, parent company of The Times and Times Online.

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