Comstar-UTS continues to lose pay-TV subscribers in Moscow, Russia’s most competitive market.
Results published by the company show that its pay-TV (triple-play) subscriber total in the city stood at 111,000 at the end of Q3, 8% less than three months earlier and 13% down on Q3 2009. Triple play ARPU was also down, 33% year-on-year in rouble terms to R398 (€9.47) and 31% in dollar terms to $13 (€9.52).
On the plus side, the company’s double play (voice and broadband internet) subscriber total in Q3 was, at 872,000, 7% up on the same period last year.
Although Comstar-UTS also saw a reduction in pay-TV subscribers in the Russian regions – 2% down year-on-year to 1,917,000 – though ARPU was up by 14% to R120 and 16% to $3.9.
However, there was strong growth in premium pay-TV subscribers in the regions, up by 9% to 1,726,000 year-on-year in Q3, which was reflected in ARPU increase of 7% (roubles) and 10% (dollars) over the period.
