Brian Sullivan, director of new product development and sales for BSkyB, is confident the operator will soon get on track in terms of customer installations for its high-definition (HD) service. A shortage of set-top-boxes from supplier Thomson means some customers are experiencing delays in receiving their HD service.

“We have 17,000 customers who had installation dates before the World Cup but will now be getting their installation during the World Cup,” Sullivan said. “We expect that box supply will catch up with the demand towards the end of the World Cup. If you order Sky HD now, you are getting an installation in the first or second week of August. We are certain those dates will be met.”

BSkyB has more than 8 million subscribers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, making it the biggest satellite pay-TV operator in Europe. It is also one of the first pay-TV operators to launch commercial HD services and likely will be one of the main innovators of HD services in Europe.

An in-depth interview with Sullivan can be found in the June 12 issue of Satellite News. For more information about subscribing to Access Intelligence’s satellite newsletters, check out our Web site at https://www.satellitetoday.com