Digital TV Research has forecast 81 million additional pay-TV subscribers over the next five years, taking the global total to 1.10 billion.
According to the report, IPTV is the winning pay-TV platform and will add 100 million subscribers between 2018 and 2024.
Over the same time period, satellite TV and pay DTT are expected to each grow by 7 million subs. Digital cable TV will add 18 million subs but analog cable TV will lose 62 million subs, meaning a net loss for cable.
Excluding analogue cable TV, digital pay-TV growth is projected to grow from 380 million subscribers in 2010 to 954 million to 1,096 million by 2024.
The study also found:
- China will continue to supply about a third of the world’s pay-TV subscribers, with 356 million expected by 2024
- India will bring in another 17 per cent (187 million subs) of the total by 2024
- China and India will together provide half the world’s pay-TV subscribers by 2024
Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Every quarter we hear of alarming cord-cutting in the US. This will continue, with the US losing nearly 10 million subscribers between 2018 and 2024. About 28 of the 138 countries will lose subscribers between 2018 and 2024.
“However, it is not all bad news – 110 countries will gain subscribers. Asia Pacific will contribute six of the top 10 countries by pay-TV subscriber additions. From the 81 million additional pay-TV subs between 2018 and 2024, 29 million will come from India, 16 million from China and 8 million from Indonesia.”
