Global pay-TV subscribers will number 1.02 billion by 2026, per new figures from Digital TV Research.
The analysts forecast 15 million additional subscribers for pay-TV between 2020 and 2026. However, they warn that while 92 countries will add pay-TV subscribers and 46 countries will lose subscribers.
IPTV will add 63 million subscribers between 2020 and 2026 to take its total to 378 million.
There will be 412 million cable TV subs (both analogue and digital) by 2026, 46 million lower than the 458 million recorded in 2020.
Satellite TV will lose 8 million subscribers to total 203 million. Pay DTT will grow by 6 million subs to reach 25 million, with many of those subscribers in Africa.
Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “China and India will together continue to provide just under half the world’s pay-TV subscribers. China will lose 10 million subscribers between 2020 and 2026 as OTT platforms are more appealing than traditional pay-TV. However, India will add 21 million pay TV subscribers. The US will be the biggest loser – down by 16 million subscribers.”
