ABI: 730 Million Pay-TV Subscribers by 2011

SINGAPORE: The number of global pay-TV subscribers is expected to reach more than 730 million by the end of 2011, according to new data from ABI Research, with telco-TV services as a key driver of the growth.

ABI Research’s new market data, "Pay-TV Subscriptions: Cable, IPTV, Satellite, Digital Terrestrial," shows North America as having the highest subscriber penetration. The number of subscribers to pay-TV services in North America is expected to reach 115.4 million by the end of 2011.

Telco TV continues to grow, notably operators such as AT&T U-Verse, Verizon Fios and China Telecom. According to ABI Research industry analyst Serene Fong, telco-TV subscribers will reach 47 million by the end of 2011, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.5 percent over the next five years. Western Europe has the highest telco-TV penetration rate, with strong subscriber growth in France, Italy and Germany. North America, the second highest in penetration, is expected to see subscriber numbers exceed 9 million by the end of 2011. The Asia-Pacific region has the third highest telco-TV penetration, led by South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The number of subscribers is forecast to reach more than 15 million.

“The improvement of broadband access is one factor which helps to increase telco-TV subscriptions,” notes research associate Khin Sandi Lynn. “Other types of pay-TV platforms, satellite, cable and terrestrial are also found to be increasing, although at a slower rate.”