NTL sees interactive bonanza

THE HYPE surrounding interactive television is set to give way to a multi-billion pound industry early in the next century, the Edinburgh International Television Festival was told.

NTL, Britain's largest cable company, expects interactive households - whether connected by cable, digital subscriber lines (DSL), or satellite - to spend pounds 200 per year for on-line services by 2003.

With about half of Britain's 23 million households expected to be hooked up to interactive television by then, annual revenue from on-line services will likely exceed pounds 2bn within four years.NTL expects to collect revenue from interactive advertising, website sponsorship, e-commerce services and through selling access to content such as on-line games, sport and movies.