Global Pay-TV Subs to Reach 1.06 Billion by 2025

The base of pay-TV subscribers will increase by 35 million between 2019 and 2025 to reach 1.06 billion, according to Digital TV Research.

The number of pay-TV subs around the world crossed the 1-billion mark in 2018, Digital TV Research says.

Digital TV Research notes that IPTV is the winner in pay TV, adding 84 million subs to reach 391 million in 2025, accounting for 37 percent of all pay-TV subscribers. Satellite, meanwhile, will lose 4 million subs in the same period, bringing its share down to 20 percent. Cable TV will remain the dominant form of pay TV at 40 percent. There will be 430 million cable TV subs (analog and digital) by 2025, 101 million fewer than the number recorded in 2010.

“Our forecasts are based on the assumption that professional sports will restart in August following relaxations in the COVID- 19 lockdown,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research. “If this does not happen, then pay TV will experience considerable churn.”