BSkyB add 50,000 Irish subscribers in 12 last months

BSkyB is understood to have added a further 50,000 subscribers to its digital television offering in Ireland over the past 12 months — taking its total Irish customer base to over 600,000 homes.

Although Irish figures have ceased to be broken out of group results for the past year and a half; it is understood that the company’s Irish subscriber numbers are well ahead of the most recent estimates from ComReg (the Commission for Communications Regulation), which had them at 573,000 in March.

BSkyB yesterday reported adjusted group revenue of just over £5.3 billion (€6.2bn) for the 12 months to the end of June.

Overall — across Britain and Ireland — its fourth quarter saw an additional 124,000 customers, bringing its total customer base (the group also provides broadband and telephony services in the British market) to over 9.4 million people.

Nearly 50% of all Sky Digital’s Irish customers have upgraded to the Sky+ service.

There is, however, still no plans to roll-out either the broadband or telephony services in the Irish market.

“We would like to offer similar services in Ireland and continue to explore opportunities to do so,” said Sky Ireland spokesperson Mark Deering.

“However, there are differences in the commercial marketplace and the political and regulatory environment.”

The success of the Sky HD product, however, should usher in a new Sky 3D TV service in both the UK and Ireland sometime next year.