BSkyB signs up 21,000 new customers

SATELLITE broadcaster BSkyB signed up 21,000 new customers in Ireland in the run-up to Christmas.

The company said its total subscriber base in Ireland now stands at 393,000, or 28% of all households.

The customer additions in the three months to end December was the highest quarterly subscriber growth for four years, BSkyB said.

“2005 has seen Sky go from strength to strength in Ireland, outpacing our competitors through the provision of quality products and services to our customers. We are well positioned in 2006 to continue this growth and to further expand the range and quality of services on offer,” Sky Ireland managing director Delia Bushell said.

BSkyB, part of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire News Corporation, yesterday reported a 14% rise in first-half profits to almost €575 million. Turnover was 9% ahead at €3.09 billion.

For the fourth quarter of 2005, Sky increased its overall customer numbers by 215,000 to 8.1 million.

Chief executive James Murdoch said: “Results like these reinforce our confidence that we will achieve our goal of 10 million customers in 2010.”

The company did not release any financial details of its Irish operations. But based on an annual subscriber bill of €584 a year, the company is generating revenues of over €200m.

Sky also said it plans to launch high definition television (HDTV) services in Ireland for the first time later this year.

Shares in BSkyB closed up strongly on the London Stock Exchange yesterday, ending the day up 3.3% at 502 pence.

* Additional reporting by Reuters.