Pay-TV Market Shows Subscriber Gains Worldwide

LONDON: Leading pay-TV services added more than 20 million subscribers globally in a year, according to the latest Multiscreen Index from informitv.

The number of digital video subs for the leading 100 pay-TV services rose by 5.24 million in Q2 2014, an increase of 1.6 percent. This was higher than the first-quarter gains, when 4.71 million subs were added, up by 1.4 percent.

The 100 services in the Multiscreen Index added 20.29 million subs in the 12 months to the middle of 2014, marking a rise of 6 percent. The ten services with the most subscribers gained 1.14 million between them in the three months to the end of June, compared to 1.21 in the previous quarter. Satellite services added 2.13 million subs globally, ahead of telco TV operators, which added 2.07 million. Losses in the U.S. reduced gains for cable to 750,000.

Telefónica España reported 479,000 net subscriber additions, reflecting a refreshed Movistar Fusión TV multiscreen offer. The largest loss was for Sky PerfecTV! in Japan, losing 260,000 subscribers following the closure of its SD service. Overall, the Asia-Pacific region saw the largest increase, with 2.18 million additional subscribers. There was strong growth in India, with Dish TV, Airtel, Hathway, DEN Networks and Reliance adding 1.15 million video subscribers between them in three months.

Comcast and Time Warner Cable lost 296,000 video customers and Dish Network and DIRECTV lost 78,000, while AT&T and Verizon added 289,000. With further losses from Charter, Cablevision, Mediacom and Suddenlink, the top ten services in the U.S. lost 165,500 video customers. Losses in the seasonally weak second quarter were down on previous years and represent just 0.2 percent of their combined subscriber base.

“The Multiscreen Index shows continued worldwide growth in subscription television services, despite losses among operators in the United States,” said Dr William Cooper, editor of the report at informitv. “America remains the most valuable market, and revenues continue to rise, but the opportunities for subscriber growth lie elsewhere.”