Pay-TV Subs to Top 745 Million This Year

SINGAPORE: The worldwide pay-TV market continues to grow, says ABI Research, with the number of subscribers on track to top 745 million this year, up from 704 million at the end of 2010.

While forecasts for the pay-TV market as a whole are upbeat, ABI points to the struggles being experienced by cable operators. “The growth rate is good in all pay-TV platforms except cable TV,” notes Jason Blackwell, ABI practice director. “High cable penetration in regions such as North America and Western Europe, and the increasing popularity of online video services, have resulted in slow growth in worldwide cable TV markets.”

The Asia Pacific is home to 57 percent of the global pay-TV base, ABI says. “The growing numbers of digital TV households and high-speed broadband households in the Asia-Pacific region enable operators to deliver advanced pay-TV packages such as high–definition (HDTV) and IPTV that offer more options to customers,” says Khin Sandi Lynn, research associate.

Digital TV is a key growth driver, ABI notes. In 2010, more than 50 percent of pay-TV subs were digital customers. ABI also reports that HDTV subs will reach 225 million this year.