The top 100 operators accounted for three-quarters of the world’s pay-TV subscribers by end-2015, with this proportion not expected to change over the next five years.
The top 10 operators took 42% by end-2015, according to the Global Pay TV Operator Forecasts report.
Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “By end-2015, 12 operators had more than 10 million paying subscribers, and this will climb to 18 operators by 2021. However, the number of operators with more than 5 million subscribers will stay at 29.”
Pay-TV subscriptions for the world’s top 400 operators with 585 platforms across 100 countries will increase from a collective 778 million in 2015 to 912 million by 2021. These operators took 84% of the 928 million global subscribers by end-2015, with this level expected to inch up to 85% of the 1,076 million by 2021. Only 93 (23%) of the 400 operators will lose subscribers between 2015 and 2021.
China Radio & TV is the world’s largest pay-TV operator by a long long way. Government policy to consolidate cable TV means that China Radio & TV quickly became the world’s largest pay TV operator, with 239 million subs by end-2015. The operator will soon represent every cable TV home in China, with 251 million subscribers expected by 2021.
Murray continued: “Despite adding 147 million subscribers between 2015 and 2021, subscription and VOD revenues for the 400 operators will remain flat at $206 billion. These operators accounted for 83% of the global total in 2015, but this proportion will fall to 80% by 2021. In fact, 115 of the 400 operators (29%) will lose subscription and PPV revenues between 2015 and 2021.”
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