IHS Markit: Cable Homes in Europe Hit Highest Level Since 2009

The number of cable homes in Europe reached 69.2 million in 2017, marking another year of growth and comprising 36.3 percent of all TV households, according to IHS Markit.

This marks the largest number of cable homes in Europe since 2009, when the figure stood at 70 million, according to the European Broadband Cable Yearbook from IHS Markit and Cable Europe. Last year was the second consecutive year of growth in cable homes, following a period of stagnation since the previous high.

Total revenue generating units (RGUs) rose 2 percent year on year to 127.5 million, driven primarily by an increase in internet subscriptions. At the end of 2017, cable customers in Europe subscribed to an average of 1.8 services. TV services accounted for 46 percent of cable TV revenue in 2017, followed by internet with 35 percent and telephony with 19 percent.

Germany remains the largest cable TV market in Europe, with 18.7 million subscribers, which is more than three times the number of unique subscribers in the next biggest markets of Romania, the U.K. and Poland.

“Broadband internet is a key factor in European cable TV revenue growth,” said Maria Rua Aguete, executive director of media, service providers and platforms for IHS Markit. “Triple-play and quad-play strategies are also being implemented. They strengthen operators’ status as a multiplatform point to anytime, anywhere content.”

The total number of cable TV service subscribers in Europe in 2017 remained flat at 58.9 million. “The European cable industry continues to show resilience,” said Martyn Hannant, research and analysis manager at IHS Markit. “The industry has made significant progress in the switchover from analog to digital cable signals.”