Moldova’s pay-TV market declined for the third year in a row in 2016.
As of the end of the year, according to data published by the regulator ANRCETI, there were 269,900 subscribers receiving pay-TV services, or 1.9% (5,300) fewer than 12 months earlier.
Meanwhile, revenues from pay-TV services fell by 3.2% (MDL5 million, or €0.233 million) to MLD151.7 million.
The reduction in pay-TV subscribers was due to a fall in cable customers, the number falling by 14,600 (-7.1%) to 191,800.
At the same time, the number of IPTV subscribers increased by 9,300 (13.6%) to over 78,000.
As of the end of 2016 there were a total of 108 active providers of pay-TV services. The majority of subscribers (71%) opted for cable, with the remainder (28.9%) choosing IPTV. Over half (55.4%) of subscribers were still analogue, with 44.6% digital.
Cable operators saw their revenues fall by MDL10.6 million (-10.8%) to MDL88 million, while IPTV operators’ revenues increased by MDL5.6 million (+9.7%) to MDL63.7 million. ARPU for pay-TV services fell by MDL1.19 (-2.5%) to MDL46.7.
In terms markets shares, Moldtelecom and Sun Communications claimed 30.6% and 26.7% respectively. TV-Box had a share of 11.15%, and all remaining 105 providers a combined share of 31.6%.