Digital TV Research: Pay-TV Subs to Top 1 Billion

Digital TV Research is forecasting that the number of pay-TV subscribers across 138 countries will reach 1.03 billion by 2027, as pay TV continues to grow in developing markets.

The total represents 57 percent of TV households, down from the peak of 61 percent in 2018.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Given the increasing demand for fast broadband connections, IPTV will be the pay-TV winner. IPTV will add 79 million subscribers between 2021 and 2027 to take its total to 440 million. IPTV will become the pay-TV leader in 2022.”

Pay satellite TV will shed 12 million subs between 2021 and 2027 as homes convert to platforms that offer high-speed broadband.

There will be 367 million cable subs by 2027, which is 56 million lower than the 422 million recorded in 2021. The 2021 total includes 22 million analog cable TV subscribers; this total will fall to zero by 2027.