The DBS industry now serves about 22 percent of U.S. TV households, the association said.
"This is great news and I'm thrilled to offer my congratulations to each of these companies on a job well done," said Richard DalBello, SBCA president. "This astounding growth reflects consumers continued desire for the superior quality, service and price offered by the DBS industry."
Last week, DirecTV reported 13.04 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter, reflecting growth of 455,000 net new subscribers. This week, DISH Network reported that it netted about 340,000 customers during the three-month period, putting its subscriber total at 10.125 million. VOOM from Rainbow DBS and Cablevision said as of the end of the second quarter it was serving 25,000 customers.
When targeting cable, SBCA pointed to recent numbers from the Television Bureau of Advertising that suggested the wired competitor lost about 867,000 households during the first seven months of 2004. "Despite cable's natural monopoly and an un-level playing field for competitors, the DBS industry continues to gain ground in the multichannel video marketplace," DalBello said.
