6 Percent CAGR for Pay-TV Subs Worldwide

SINGAPORE: The number of pay-TV subscribers worldwide will grow from 688 million this year to 854.5 million in 2015, delivering a 5.7 percent CAGR for the next five years, according to a new report.

IPTV is the fastest-growing platform, reports Jason Blackwell, practice director for digital home at ABI Research. Cable platforms, however, maintain the largest share, taking up 70 percent of the overall market. Research associate Khin Sandi Lynn notes that the “cable-TV market is declining in some countries, especially in Western Europe and North America. One reason is market saturation in these countries. Furthermore, there is aggressive competition from IPTV operators. Cable operators are coming under pressure to maintain subscriber and ARPU growth. Some operators have cut subscription prices in order to compete with IPTV operators.”

Western Europe and Asia-Pacific are home to the majority of IPTV subscribers. European growth is expected to slow, but Asia-Pac will see gains. Overall IPTV share will rise from 6 percent this year to 11 percent in 2015. ABI also reports that the number of pay-DTT subs in Western Europe will reach 14.4 million by the end of 2015.