Romania’s cable TV subscriber total rose by 3.8% to 4.56 million in 2015.
However, according to data produced by the regulator ANCOM and published by Mediaexpres, both the DTH (+4.3%, to 2.42 million) and IPTV (+25.7%, to 80,000), showed even stronger growth.
The data also shows that as of the end of 2015 there were 259 cable operators, five DTH platforms and two providers of IPTV services in Romania.
The total number of pay-TV subscribers in the country stood at 7.07 million, up 4.2% on a year earlier, equivalent to a pay-TV penetration figure of 94.4%.
Cable accounted for 60.9% of pay-TV homes, followed by DTH with 32.4% and IPTV 1.11%. However, subscriber grwoth, at 4.2%, was down on the previous year’s 5.4%.
Three-quarters (75%) of cable and 94% of IPTV subscribers were based in urban areas, while 71% of those receiving DTH services were in rural ones.
Separately, ANCOM has provided insights into its strategic vision for digital communications in the country to 2020.
It says that although the communications market is competitive, there is a problem with internet access outside densely populated areas. Furthermore, spend for telecom services takes up a large part of household budgets.
Also, demand for digital services remains uneven, with some users being connected across multiple devices.
There is extensive growth in mobile internet and boundaries between traditional electronic communications services and online services are set to fade.
ANCOM’s strategic priorities include promoting the competitiveness of networks, maximising the availability of services and the benefits of capitalizing IP networks.
It has also formulated 13 lines of action to be discussed in its consultation document.
