British satellite TV operator BSkyB has reported a 33% rise in underlying profits after stronger than expected growth in the number of digital customers.
Operating profits were £129m sterling in the nine months to the end of March, compared with £97m a year earlier, as the number of digital subscribers rose by 171,000 to 5.9 million.
Average revenue per user rose to £341, while the churn - or cancellation - rate was 10.5%.
The company, which has an exclusive contract with the English Premier League to transmit live football, said that its programming costs for the period had risen by £215m to £1,046m, owing mainly to the new Premier League contract and increases in movie and third-party channel costs.
BSkyB said its share of British television audiences rose 18% in the latest three months to 6.7%. Viewing figures were boosted by a 7% jump in the number of people watching live football.
The company said it had written off £70m as a result of its investment in bankrupt German broadcaster KirchPayTV.
