Pay-TV Subs Exceed 1 Billion

Digital TV Research estimates that pay-TV subscribers increased by 26 million in 2018 across 138 countries, taking the total beyond 1 billion.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “IPTV added 42 million subscribers in 2018 alone to take its total to 257 million. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV in 2018.”

Satellite TV grew by 2 million subscribers and pay DTT by 1 million in 2018. Digital cable TV added 7 million subs, but analog cable TV shed 16 million subs—meaning a net loss for cable.

Cable TV accounted for half of all pay-TV subscribers in 2018; down from three-quarters in 2010. IPTV increased its share of pay-TV subscribers to a quarter in 2018. Satellite TV generated 22 percent of pay-TV subscribers in 2018.

Global pay-TV revenues peaked in 2016 at $205 billion. Revenues fell to $199 billion in 2018.