Report: Pay-TV Prices Remain Stable in Most Countries

BOSTON: A new Strategy Analytics report finds that prices for pay TV are holding steady in most countries, though the introduction of “skinny bundles” is driving the minimum cost down in places such as Canada and Denmark.

The new report, Pay TV Prices in OECD Countries, May 2016, released by the Teligen division of Strategy Analytics, finds that the ten countries with lowest pay-TV prices are Poland, Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Hungary. Even among the cheapest offers per country there are pay-TV packages that include more advanced features like HD and recording. For the most basic requirements, the average monthly price across the 31 countries measured in the report is $18.94.

In Canada, where so-called skinny bundles with a limited number of channels have been introduced, costs range from $19.58 to $34.69. In Denmark, where skinny bundles are also available, the average is $12.30 to $34.88. Norway, meanwhile, has a range of $17.60 to $40.65.

Teligen Director Halvor Sannaes commented: “We are continuing to see significant price changes over time in some of the countries we cover.”

Benchmarking consultant Edouard Bouffenie at Teligen added: “…In some countries there also appears to be seasonal variations, which we will continue to track. The May update shows less promotions than the November update.”