The 1.4m homes includes more than 500,000 who have bought Freeview set-top boxes since its launch on October 30, a figure few thought possible when the service launched. The rest are former subscribers to the collapsed ITV Digital service who continue to use their boxes.
The 1.4m is to be revealed in the Barb panel for March, according to Andy Duncan, BBC director of marketing and communications, speaking at the FT New Media Broadcasting Conference.
"What is clear is the fact that Freeview is on course to become a vital third platform in the UK market. Overall, this now leaves Freeview bigger than the highest-ever level reached by ITV Digital. Moreover, with no churn on the platform and with sales still going strong, this figure can only keep going up," Duncan said.
Duncan said that one retailer described the sales of Freeview adapters as "selling like hot cakes" and with the promise of future new channels, including a possible entertainment channel from Sky, the offering is likely to become more appealing.
The story sounds even more positive for the BBC and its partners Crown Castle and BSkyB when analysing return levels of the Freeview set-top boxes, which have been lower than expected and substantially below the old ITV Digital levels.
The success of Freeview has not been without a price -- for ITV at least. Last month, Granada and Carlton Communications were hit by the report from investment bank Morgan Stanley that said the launch of Freeview has had a greater impact on ITV than had originally been expected.
In a research note, the bank said demand for Freeview had been higher than expected and was having a negative impact on ITV. The bank said although ITV2 was doing well in Freeview homes, a poor performance by ITV1 meant the impact overall would be negative for the commercial broadcaster.
At the conference, Duncan went on to illustrate how the profile of Freeview customers was different to that of the average pay subscriber. Duncan said they are typically older and more upmarket, a sure sign, he said, that Freeview is appealing to a different profile of audience.
"This a crucial point. Freeview does appeal to a different audience. It is entirely complementary to pay digital. It may be a key missing piece of the jigsaw, but it is not the only piece. There is now something for everyone."
Duncan said that pay digital would still be the right approach for some, but for a fast-growing number of others, Freeview was the right offer.
"For some, there will be room for both, with pay digital on the main TV and Freeview providing a good option for the TV in the bedroom or kitchen," Duncan said.
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