Report: Global IPTV Subscribers to Hit 90 Million in 2013

LONDON, March 5: A new
study from ABI Research says that subscribers to IPTV services worldwide
numbered about 13.5 million last year but predicts that their ranks will grow
to more than 90 million by the end of 2013.

According to ABI Research,
in North America, until recently, only a few Canadian operators and smaller
rural/regional operators in the U.S. have offered IPTV services. However, in
2007, Verizon and AT&T began to gain some ground in their fiber
deployments, with IPTV growth in the U.S. closely linked to those large
rollouts.

Although IPTV got a head
start in Asia when PCCW launched now TV, its successful IPTV service in Hong
Kong, the region still lags behind where the number of IPTV subscribers is
concerned, due to regulatory issues and/or low broadband penetration in key
markets. However, ABI Research forecasts vigorous growth ahead as these issues
are gradually being resolved.

As IPTV has been available
in Western Europe since 1999, the market there is comparatively well-developed
already, especially in countries such as France. There is scope for growth,
however, as several large markets—Germany and the U.K.—still have
relatively low penetration rates.

“The IPTV market as a
whole is poised for strong growth but clearly it will be stronger in some areas
than in others,” said ABI’s senior analyst Cesar Bachelet. “ABI Research
anticipates particularly substantial growth in North America and most emerging
markets.”

—By Irene Lew