Global pay TV subscribers to reach 1.09 billion

Monday, May 15th, 2017
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Digital TV Research forecasts 134 million additional pay TV subscribers between 2016 and 2022 to take the total 1.09 billion. Based on forecasts for 138 countries, the number of pay TV subscribers will pass the 1 billion mark in early 2018.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Doom mongers in the US have been predicting the demise of pay TV for some time. Although the US is losing pay TV subs, there is still a lot of life left in the sector. Furthermore, they are ignoring the rest of the world. Asia Pacific will add 92 million subs between 2016 and 2022 – and Sub-Saharan Africa will double its total.”

Worldwide Pay TV subscriber changes by platform
Source: Digital TV Research Ltd

Excluding analog cable TV, the Global Pay TV Subscriber Forecasts report concludes that digital pay TV growth is really impressive – rocketing from 380 million subscribers in 2010 onto 852 million at end-2016 and 1,088 million by 2022.

Worldwide Pay TV subscribers by region
Source: Digital TV Research Ltd

China will continue to supply about a third of the world’s pay TV subscribers. India will bring in another 16% of the total by 2022. Therefore, China and India together will provide nearly half the world’s pay TV subscribers.

Pay TV subscriber counts will double in 26 countries between 2016 and 2022. However, pay TV subscriber numbers will fall a further 18 countries.

Murray added: “We believe that the worst of the losses in now over for North America, with “only” 5 million fewer subscribers forecast between 2016 and 2022.”

For more information on the Global Pay TV Subscriber Forecasts report, please contact: Simon Murray, simon@digitaltvresearch.com, Tel: +44 20 8248 5051