The number of IPTV subscribers grew significantly over 2008, data from a recently-release report has revealed.

Western Europe was found to have more IPTV viewers than any other region in the world in a study conducted by the Broadband Forum.

The IPTV population in the region grew from 7,045,860 people in the last quarter of 2007 to 10,388,000 in the same period a year later.

John Bonsell, a Point Topic senior analyst, observed: "During 2008, IPTV operators showed that TV over IP could be deployed on a large scale. That has been the case particularly in the USA."

While George Dobrowski, the Broadband Forum's chairman and president, said: "This report shows that despite the economic situation the world is facing, the demand for both broadband and IPTV continues to expand."

The total number of IPTV watchers around the planet now stands at just shy of 12 million.