Pay-TV subscribers increased by 26 million in 2018 across 138 countries, taking the total beyond 1 billion, according to Digital TV Research estimate.
The report stated Satellite TV grew by 2 million subscribers and pay DTT by 1 million in 2018. Digital cable TV added 7 million subs, but analogue cable TV shed 16 million subs—meaning a net loss for cable.
Simon Murray, the principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “IPTV added 42 million subscribers in 2018 alone to take its total to 257 million. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV in 2018.”
Cable TV accounted for half of all pay-TV subscribers in 2018; down from three-quarters in 2010. IPTV increased its share of pay-TV subscribers to a quarter in 2018. Satellite TV generated 22 percent of pay-TV subscribers in 2018.
Global pay-TV revenues reached it peak level in 2016 at $205 billion. Revenues fell to $199 billion in 2018.
