Sky boasting of eight million customers

Digital satellite broadcaster Sky has announced that its customer figures have broken through the eight million milestone and now the company has said its sights are set firmly on hitting 10 million by 2010.

Sky has more than doubled its number of customers since 2000 and although near-saturation in the digital TV market means customer acquisition at the same rate becomes trickier, the company is confident of adding another two million customers over the coming four years.

James Murdoch, CEO of Sky, said in a statement: "Exceeding our goals with eight million customers and growing is a great way to end 2005. To be part of life in nearly one in three homes is a great honour for any company.

"Our customers' needs are changing fast, so in 2006 we'll continue to devote ourselves to giving Sky families even more flexibility, choice and value."

BSkyB earlier this year announced plans to acquire UK broadband provider Easynet in a £211m deal which would enable the broadcaster to compete with the merging cable firms NTL and Telewest by offering packages of digital television and high-speed internet access, as well as cross-selling products and services to existing customers of both companies.

A spokeswoman for Sky told silicon.com: "The Easynet deal has not yet completed but the intention is to launch a broadband access product in 2006 but we have not yet announced a date."

The satellite broadcaster previously had a deal in place with BT which enabled it to offer phone and internet access but only as a third party partner.