Telco TV Subscribers Expected to Double by 2011, According to ABI Research

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
ABI Research logo

AT&T, Verizon and China Telecom Having Strong Years

SINGAPORE — According to new pay-TV market data from ABI Research, global pay-TV subscribers will number more than 730 million by the end of 2011. North America has the highest subscriber penetration and should reach 115.4 million by the end of 2011.

Telco TV continues to grow, with operators such as AT&T U-Verse, Verizon Fios, and China Telecom enjoying a strong year. According to ABI Research industry analyst Serene Fong, “Telco TV subscribers will number 47 million by the end of 2011, with a CAGR of 22.5% over the next five years (2009-2014).”

Western Europe has the highest Telco TV penetration rate and continues to increase in subscriber numbers, especially in France, Italy and Germany. North America and Asia-Pacific regions are the second and third highest in Telco TV penetration. The numbers of subscribers in those regions are forecast to exceed 9 million and 15 million respectively by the end of 2011. In the Asia-Pacific region South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan are the leading countries in Telco TV adoption.

Operators are extending Telco TV services by deploying triple-play offerings in order to reduce customer churn rate and to increase ARPU. “The improvement of broadband access is one factor which helps to increase Telco TV subscriptions,” notes research associate Khin Sandi Lynn. “Other type of pay-TV platforms, satellite, cable and terrestrial are also found to be increasing, although at a slower rate.”

ABI Research’s new Market Data, “Pay-TV Subscriptions: Cable, IPTV, Satellite, Digital Terrestrial” is updated quarterly and profiles global pay-TV subscription information. Detailed market trends and market forecast information for key regions and countries around the world are provided where available.

The study is a part of the company’s Digital Media Research Service, which includes other Market Data products, Research Reports, Research Briefs, ABI insights and analyst inquiry support.