18% of UK broadband households have used paid-service Netflix in the past 30 days, according to Parks Research.
This compares with 20% who used the free iTV Player and 33% who used the free iPlayer to stream video programming. Overall 58% of UK broadband households used a video streaming service or player within the past 30 days.
“The results in the UK and in other European markets show that paid OTT video streaming services are now a fixture in this video entertainment landscape,” said Brett Sappington, Director, Research, Parks Associates.
“The fact that a growing number of consumers are willing to pay for subscription services when there are free options, like iPlayer and other broadcaster-based sites or apps, shows strong appetite for video among consumers. Netflix, the clear leader in the US, entered Europe with high expectations. Subscriber growth has been slow in several parts of Europe, but with no dominant leaders in subscription services, Netflix and other entrants are gaining a foothold. For example, Amazon Instant Video had the highest rate of usage in Germany with 17% of broadband households, and Netflix was second at 6%.”
The firm’s Connected Consumer in Europe reveals increasing adoption of internet-connected CE and a parallel growth trend in viewing online content through these various connected devices. Among broadband households, 57% in the U.K., Germany, Spain, and France own at least one internet-connected CE device (smart TV, smart Blu-ray player, PVR, gaming console, or streaming media device), and roughly that same percentage watch Internet video on an Internet-connected device across all four countries.
“Growth in new streaming video services exploded in the US, and we are starting to see the same in Europe, with new companies introducing on-demand and live streaming services,” Sappington said.
“OTT providers both established and new, including content producers, pay-TV providers, broadcasters, and CE manufacturers, have plenty of room to grow.”