Sky mopped up Copeland analogue refugees

Sky targeted Copeland with marketing teams as it became the first area in the UK where analogue terrestrial signals were switched off, a report has revealed.

The satellite broadcaster picked up 38% of those who converted to digital television around switchover last autumn, according to research by Digital UK, which is overseeing the switch-off.

Sky increased its share of primary sets in the area, on Cumbria's west coast, to 77%, up from 66%, during the period.

"Sky conducted significant marketing activity in the area before the switchover, and panel interviews indicate that some may have regarded Sky as a ‘safe’ option in case anything 'went wrong' with the terrestrial switchover," noted Digital UK in its review of the process at Copeland.

Just 5% of the conversions to Sky were on its non-subscription product, Freesat from Sky, while only 2% of existing Sky homes in Copeland said they were now likely to replace it with Freeview.

Before switchover, 30% of Copeland homes were analogue-only. The 62% of these households which did not join Sky bought Freeview equipment. In future analogue DTT viewers will have the option of taking up Freesat, the non-subscription satellite service from ITV and the BBC.

> Two-stage digital switchover may be ditched