Global pay TV subscribers stable at just under 1 billion

Monday, October 9th, 2023 
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Global pay TV subscriber numbers hold steady

The number of pay TV subscribers across 138 countries will remain at just under 1 billion. Digital TV Research forecasts a slender decline until 2025, with a small recovery thereafter.

Pay TV households by platform - Digital cable, IPTV, Pay satellite, Free satellite, Analog terrestrial, Free DTT, Pay DTT - millions - 2029

Global pay TV penetration reached 56% of TV households by end-2023, falling slightly to 54% by end-2029.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “IPTV is the pay TV winner. IPTV will add 36 million subscribers between 2023 and 2029 to take its total to 412 million. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV subscribers in 2018 and will overtake digital cable in 2024.”

Between 2023 and 2029, 82 countries will add pay TV subscribers and 56 countries will lose subscribers. The US will be the biggest loser – down by 10 million subscribers.

Links: Digital TV Research