Global Pay-TV Market Reaches Nearly 700 Million Subscribers in Q3

SINGAPORE: In the third quarter of 2010, net subscriber additions in the global pay-TV market increased 2 percent, reaching 692 million, according to new data from ABI Research.

New platforms such as digital terrestrial TV and online video are providing more competition to the traditional pay-TV services. This has resulted in slower subscriber growth in satellite and cable television services. The slow growth in subscribers is especially notable in Western Europe and North America. Satellite and cable TV growth is still expected to remain strong in the regions such as Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Currently, Western Europe holds a comprehensive 99 percent of the terrestrial pay-TV market. Pay digital terrestrial television has seen success in countries such as France, Italy and Spain. Italian pay terrestrial television provider Mediaset is the leader in the pay terrestrial TV market. Mediaset added nearly 300,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2010, reaching a total subscriber base of 4.4 million.

There was strong growth in worldwide IPTV subscriptions in Q3 2010, with more than 2.7 million IPTV subscribers added. Global broadband penetration is increasing, along with the broadband speed. Western Europe remains the largest IPTV market, followed by the Asia Pacific and North America.

ABI Research expects that the worldwide IPTV subscriber base will be more than 53 million by the end of 2011.