Sky signs up 70,000 customers to Sky 3D

Sky has announced that 70,000 customers signed up to access the Sky 3D channel in the first few months after its launch in October last year.

On October 1, Europe's first dedicated 3D channel became available at no extra cost to Sky's top tier Sky World customers, as long as they first purchased a 3D-ready TV and special glasses.

Sky has used the channel predominantly to offer what it calls "event TV", essentially the biggest movies, entertainment shows, arts and sport in 3D. Next month, Sky 3D will break new ground by broadcasting the English National Opera's production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia live in 3D.

Celebrating the strong demand for Sky 3D, Sky's chief executive Jeremy Darroch said today: "3D has got off to a great start with around 70,000 customers having signed up to the service in the first few months. We are very happy with the progress of 3D to date and are really encouraged by the feedback we are getting from customers."

John Cassy, the Sky 3D channel director, noted that around half of the 3D-ready TV sets sold so far in the UK are connected to Sky 3D. He also claimed that "thousands more" customers are signing up to the channel every week.

"The hugely positive response from customers, all of whom are tuning into Sky 3D on a weekly basis, gives us great confidence for the future," said Cassy.

"Since the launch on the October 1 we have had a number of world firsts - with the world TV premieres of Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and the Toy Story trilogy. Coming up we will have our 100th live sports 3D broadcast, further cementing our position as a world leader in 3D sports production."

Cassy added: "We are also continuing to increase the breadth of our 3D programming, including performances by Diversity, natural history documentaries from Sir David Attenborough, and another world first, an upcoming broadcast of ENO's new production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia."

Also today, Sky reported a 26% growth in operating profits to £520 million in the second half of 2010, as the company sailed past its long-term goal of 10m subscribers.