Digital TV is now in 53% of UK homes, according to new research from media regulator Ofcom. 57% of homes have access to multi-channel television, with the 4% difference being attributed to homes taking analogue cable services.

New subscriptions to Sky and continuing strong uptake of Freeview drove the increase in digital TV penetration. Digital cable services also saw increased subscriber numbers, but the number of households taking TV services via ADSL connections declined slightly.

The figures for UK digital TV households in the first quarter of 2004 have been estimated by Ofcom as follows: Sky - 6.956m; FTV DSat - 231,000; ntl - 1.37m; Telewest - 1.03m; DTT - 3.47m; HomeChoice - 3,300; KIT - 5,364.