The cable industry in Europe is growing, with revenues in 2015 up 7.1% on the previous year, according to IHS statistics released by Cable Europe at Cable Congress in Warsaw.
Growth was significant in all areas of the industry, with internet via broadband up by 10%, TV by 5% and telephony by 7%. At the same time, TV continued to be the main source of profit, accounting for 50% of the €22.9 billion of revenues. Meanwhile, internet claimed 31% of income, 11 percentage points higher than a decade ago.
Significantly, TV revenue growth was driven by digital subscriptions and VOD. Close to two-thirds (61.2%) of TV subscribers were digital, generating 77% of TV revenue. With 21 million homes still analogue, the sector has clear potential to continue growing in the future.
More than 4.2 million Revenue Generating Units (RGUs) were added in 2015, bringing the total to 117.4 million. Internet and telephony accounted for 51.9% of the total.
Manuel Kohnstamm, president of Cable Europe, commented: “The figures show cable is performing strongly despite – and possibly thanks to – the challenging competition with traditional and over-the-top players. Our industry is best in class when it comes to combining variety of offer, quality of content and user interface. Investment in our networks and our dedication to great consumer experience have been the foundations of this success. And in the future, Europe will continue to be a vibrant market so cable must continue to facilitate development in related industries. It’s no longer just about being the hero of our own story. Now, it’s about the opportunity to become the hero of everyone else’s story too.”
Cable Europe executive chairman Matthias Kurth added: “There is huge potential for our industry in the future, and we will continue to step up to the challenge. The increasing appetite for connectivity is a great opportunity for us. Our networks are clearly on track to be the backbone of the gigasphere society. We are best placed to enable this transformation because of heavy investment in our networks and our focus on innovation. The cable industry has the ambition and the ability to drive future technology growth.”
