Ten Emerging Countries Primed for Impressive Growth of DTH Services

Despite Global Economic Concerns, 10 Countries to Generate $62.9 Billion in Revenue through 2015

CAMBRIDGE, MA — Northern Sky Research (NSR) today released its newest market survey and forecast report: “Direct-to-Home (DTH) Satellite Services: An Analysis of Ten Emerging DTH Markets.” The report provides an in-depth overview of demand trends for Pay-TV services in 10 highly dynamic and promising countries around the globe. The 10 countries analyzed in the study include Brazil, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey and Vietnam.

The report concludes that, from an estimated $4.3 billion in revenue for 2008, these 10 markets combined are expected to generate $13.5 billion in 2015, yielding total revenue of $62.9 billion over an eight-year period. Pay-TV services globally have exhibited tremendous growth over the past two decades, driven by economic growth and increasing levels of disposable income.

However, given the current global economic slowdown, particularly in the more traditional consumer markets, emerging markets become attractive havens for investment over the medium-term. Conversely, in an inter-dependent world, one needs to analyze the economic impact of a slowing U.S. economy in order to ascertain demand trends in seemingly attractive Greenfield markets.

“Indeed, all 10 countries included in the study are expected to exhibit positive economic prospects over the next several years,” stated Jose del Rosario, Senior Analyst for NSR and author of the report. “And as a basic criterion along with a population that has high TV penetration in households, the economic front certainly appears solid in the analysis of DTH prospects in these markets.”

However, DTH is not alone in the pay-TV market. The cable TV industry is competing aggressively and has dominated the market in most of the 10 countries covered in the report. MMDS is present as well, and on the horizon is IPTV that is establishing its own value proposition. DTH providers will have to contend with these competing platforms and offer a unique advantage for its growth and success to continue.

There is an abundance of opportunity for DTH, and market conditions are dynamic and complex in all 10 countries. “The success of DTH against cable TV in particular has been the quality of the DTH TV viewing experience, as well as the narrowing price gap with cable TV. However, there are other elements that DTH players need to consider, such as the need to address technological, economic, regulatory and market changes in order to gain and tap opportunities in these countries,” stated del Rosario.

About The Report

Direct-to-Home (DTH) Satellite Services: An Analysis of Ten Emerging DTH Markets is a multi-client report now available from NSR. The report examines the competitive Pay-TV climate in each country, the regulatory environment and economic issues in order to determine how DTH services will compete and the level of DTH growth relative to other Pay-TV platforms.