Cable is up and satellite is slowing down according to a new study on Canadian digital TV. Researchers at Ottawa-based think tank Decima Publishing say digital cable continued last year to narrow the gap with its space-faring competitors, increasing subscriptions by 4% in the third quarter of 2002 while satellite growth slowed to a near-halt.

The 200-plus-page report found satellite services Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice had a combined 61% share (down from 62% in the second quarter) of Canada’s 3.2 million digiviewers, compared to 37% for cablers (up from 36%). The remaining slice belongs to wireless cable operators such as Look Communications and SkyCable.

There are now 3.4 million digiviewers in Canada. Decima estimates the split will be 58/40 by the end of this year and 57/41 by the close of 2004.

Bell ExpressVu spokesman Ron MacInnes downplays the numbers. ‘We’ve already said publicly that growth is slowing. That’s not really that surprising – it was high as 35% to 40% so of course it’s going to come down.’

MacInnes expects ‘strong double-digit growth’ when he gets the final stats for 2002.