Global Mobile Broadcast TV Subscribers Will Top 150 Million by 2012

LONDON, May 31: A new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor predicts that the number of mobile broadcast TV subscribers will grow from 4.4 million today to an estimated 155.6 million by the end of 2012—a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 66.2 percent—but warns that barriers such as consumer knowledge must still be addressed.

According to the report, entitled Opportunities in the Mobile Broadcast TV Market, 2006-2012, the Asia-Pacific region will have the largest subscriber base—76.3 million subscribers—by 2012. Europe will have the second-largest subscriber base with an estimated 42.7 million subscribers by 2012 with a CAGR of 102 percent from 2006. This high-growth rate is directly attributed to the predicted pan-European push for mobile broadcast TV between 2009 and 2012. North America, dominated by the U.S., is expected to have a subscriber base of 35.6 million.

The report notes that there are still notable barriers to mass-adoption of mobile broadcast TV services, with consumer education expected to be one of the biggest hurdles. Datamonitor does not expect mobile broadcast solutions to be a significant revenue generator until consumers see value in adopting the service. The report notes that while the pricing models for mobile broadcast TV vary by region, with some service providers opting for a free-to-air service, most mobile operators, however, would be looking to charge between $8 and $12 per month for a mobile broadcast TV service. As a result, this model is particularly dependent upon national mobile consumption dynamics.

“In most cases, consumers need to see it to believe it? in order to see value in subscribing to a mobile broadcast TV service,” said Chris Khouri, associate media and broadcasting analyst with Datamonitor and author of the study. “Strong and innovative marketing campaigns, such as viral marketing or traveling exhibitions, will considerably aide in the mass-adoption of mobile broadcast TV services.”