Triple-Play Revenues on the Rise

LONDON: The number of households subscribing to triple-play bundles is poised to overtake the standalone TV total in 2016, according to Digital TV Research.

Total subscription revenues for operators offering triple-play or double-play bundles is forecast to increase by 65 percent from $124 billion in 2012 to $205 billion in 2018. Triple-play subscription revenues will reach $144 billion in 2018, which is a gain of $80 billion on the 2012 total. Triple-play is poised to command 70 percent of total subscription revenues by 2018, which is up from 52 percent in 2012 and 36 percent in 2009.

The U.S. is expected to account for 42 percent of the world's triple-play revenues by 2018; this is a decline from the 59-percent share in 2008. China will represent 34 percent of the global total by 2018.

Digital TV Research estimates that around 21 percent of the world's TV households (covering 97 countries) will subscribe to triple-play services by 2018. This is up from the 7-percent penetration at the end of 2012 and the 2 percent at end-2008.

Cable is expected to contribute nearly two-thirds of triple-play subs by 2018.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Triple-play revenues overtook standalone TV revenues in 2009. Standalone TV revenues will start falling from 2013 as subscribers defect to bundles and as cable and DSL/fiber operators offer lower-priced packages due to greater competition from other platforms.”