Freesat, the subscription-free satellite TV service, today announces a strong final quarter to 2015, with the addition of 36,000 new homes in the three months to December 2015. After adding 61,000 homes over the course of 2015, Freesat is now available in over 1.93 million households and is watched by more than four million viewers every week.
Customer numbers have continued to soar for Freetime ? Freesat’s connected TV guide solution, which is available on set-top boxes and TVs ? with a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in sales for 2015. More than 700,000 people have downloaded the Freetime app which is available across iOS, Android and Kindle and is free to download. The app can be used as a remote control, to set recordings remotely, or to plan viewing through the TV Guide and Showcase.
Freesat has continued to expand its quality content offering, with a number of new channels joining the platform including PBS America, Fox International Channels’ YourTV and UKTV channels Yesterday, Drama and Really. In addition, streaming service Netflix launched on Freetime in December, ensuring customers continue to enjoy a broad selection of content through the connected TV platform.
Freesat achieved success with its recently launched TV guide solution for international operators, announcing a partnership with Irish broadcaster RTÉ to deliver a new product for Saorview, Ireland’s free digital television service. The new product, Saorview Connect, is the broadcaster’s first connected TV offering which allows viewers to access a range of on demand content as well as the Saorview TV channels, all integrated in a new set-top box with a range of additional features.
Alistair Thom, Freesat’s managing director, said: “The most recent quarter’s figures highlight the growing appetite for subscription-free connected TV. We invest in developing market-leading technology and delivering quality content to provide an unbeatable connected-TV experience, at no monthly fee. We offer over 200 subscription-free channels and popular On Demand players, more than any other free-to-air provider, which continues to attract customers.”
