Strong growth takes Sky+ over 3m

More than 3m people now have Sky+ while Sky HD uptake also improved in the final quarter of last year.

Customer and financial results released today by Sky show it also cut the key churn figure to 10% in the three months to December 31.

Growth in Sky+ users rose by a record 16% with 434,000 newcomers taking it to a 3.13m total. There were also 64,000 new high definition customers - an increase, of 422,000, that was 18% better than in the previous quarter.

However, there were only 167,000 new customers to Sky during October, November and December - the lowest for the traditionally strong period since 2001. In the same months in 2006 it was 183,000.

The company was pleased to see its ARPU, or average revenue per user, reach £421, compared to £397 in the final three months of 2005.

Efforts to reduce churn, the number of customers leaving, have proved relatively successful as it fell from 11.7% during 2005 to the 10% target.

Sky's revenue increased by 11% year-on-year to £2,458m. Its earnings per share would have been 9.7p but for a £343m outgoing it booked on its investment in ITV. That took it to a loss per share of 6.4p.

Chief executive Jeremy Darroch commended the results: "Our focus on value and quality has delivered a strong level of new customer additions, a 35% year on year increase in product sales, record ARPU, and lower churn. Our business continues to strengthen."