Over 6 million pay TV subscribers in Romania at end-2012

Over 6 Million Subscribers to TV Programme Retransmission Services in Romania

In 2012, the number of subscribers to audiovisual programme retransmission services increased in all the segments of reception means, exceeding the total value of 6 million, i.e. a penetration rate – household level of over 85%, according to the statistical data reported by the providers and published by ANCOM today in the integrated statistical data report on the Romanian electronic communications market in 2012.

Out of the total number of 6 million subscribers to retransmission services, 3.8 million are subscribers to such services provided via cable networks (+6.4%), 2.19 million are subscribers to DTH satellite networks (+2.3%), and 37 thousand receive TV programmes through the IP technology (+34%), which determined a 5% increase in the total number of 2012 subscribers, compared to 2011. The penetration rate of retransmission services per households grew by 4 percentage points, up to 85.1%, while the penetration rate of cable retransmission services reached 53.6%.

Number of pay TV subscribers (millions):

                     31.12.2010     31.12.2011     31.12.2012
                     ----------  -------------  -------------
                           Subs   Subs  Growth   Subs  Growth
                     ----------  -----  ------  -----  ------
Total                      5.72   5.75   +0.4%   6.03   +5.0%
  Cable                    3.33   3.57   +7.4%   3.80   +6.4%
  Satellite (DTH)          2.36   2.14   -9.3%   2.19   +2.3%
  IPTV                    0.030  0.028   -7.1%  0.037  +33.9%

By the end of 2012, 61% of all the subscribers lived in the urban area. Concerning the retransmission technology, 80% of the urban users are subscribers to cable networks, whereas 63% of the rural users are subscribers to satellite DTH networks.

The number of subscribers to cable networks rose by 6.4%, up to 3.8 million, of which the number of subscribers to such services in digital format increased by 40%, to 1.24 million subscribers. Thus, the weight of the number of subscribers through digital cable networks in the total number of cable network subscribers was approximately 33%, at the end of 2012.

Digital programme retransmission services kept growing in 2012, the weight of the number of subscribers to such services in the total number of subscribers being on the rise, as well. Therefore, out of the total number of 6 million retransmission service subscribers, 3.4 million are subscribers to services in digital format, i.e. by 13.4% more than in 2011. 63% of the subscribers to retransmission services in digital format receive such services via satellite networks (DTH) but, in absolute figures, the most considerable increase in 2012 was registered by digital cable subscribers. After decreasing in 2011, the number of DTH subscribers increased in 2012, by 2% – up to 2.19 million subscribers, whereas the number of IPTV subscribers augmented by 34%, to 37 thousand subscribers.

Number of pay TV service providers:

                     31.12.2010  31.12.2011  31.12.2012
                     ----------  ----------  ----------
Total                       482         459         413
  Cable                     478         455         410
  Satellite (DTH)             5           3           3
  IPTV                        2           3           3

The integrated statistical data report on the Romanian market of electronic communication services in 2012 was drawn up based on the data reported by the active providers of electronic communications services who had commercial activity during 1 July – 31 December 2012.