Omdia: CEE SVOD Growth “Surging” Through Strategic Partnerships

According to new data from Omdia, around 25 percent of all paid SVOD subscriptions in Central and Eastern Europe now originate from pay-TV and telco bundles.

Omdia’s research finds that indirect net additions—those through partnerships rather than direct-to-consumer channels—will “dominate” SVOD net additions in the CEE region from now until 2028. By that time, indirect subscribers through partnerships are projected to account for 29 percent of the total SVOD subscription base.

Omdia’s analysis includes data from Russia, where some SVOD services were withdrawn following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This period saw a peak in subscriber additions during the Covid pandemic, followed by some market instability and subscriber churn. Key partnership deals implemented in 2022—such as HBO Max with Vodafone Hungary, Viaplay with Canal+ Polska and Disney+ with Netia—have impacted the market dynamics.

The firm says that the increasing significance of bundling in the CEE region makes indirect subscriptions more prominent relative to the total than in North America, although still behind Latin America, where bundling is crucial for SVOD.

“Partnerships between streaming services and telcos are a win-win for both parties,” said Maria Rua Aguete, senior research director at Omdia. “For streaming services, it means tapping into a ready-made customer base, while telcos can enhance their value proposition and reduce churn by offering in-demand content as part of their service bundles. These partnerships not only increase subscriber growth but also enhance customer engagement.”

Adam Thomas, senior principal analyst in Omdia’s TV and video team, added: “Traditional pay TV subscriber growth in Eastern Europe was still strong until relatively recently. But with that now slowing down, telcos and pay TV operators are becoming more open to partnership deals with OTT services, to make their overall offering more attractive. Crucial, however, is that the terms of these deals are right for both parties to ensure they’re mutually beneficial.”