The DTH platform nc+, in its various incarnations, has been an ever-present in the Polish TV market for the best part of two decades.
In its present form, it made its debut in March 2013 following the merger of n and Cyfra+.
Although nc+ initial months were difficult to say the least – the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) fined its backer ITI Neovision €2.64 million for violating consumer interests – it gradually found its feet in a DTH sector dominated by Cyfrowy Polsat.
However, nc+ lost subscribers in those first critical months and has never really made those losses up in the last few years. The latest results, published this week by Vivendi, show that it ended June with 2,102,000 subscribers, just 1,000 more than a year earlier. Meanwhile, its revenues in the first half of this year amounted to €251 million, just 0.5% more than in the same period last year.
Nc+ also suffered a blow this week when the UOKiK again ruled against ITI Neovision. This time it was for irregularities in the renewal of contracts and the company will now be required to either compensate or provide some free services to some former and current customers.
However, despite these setbacks, nc+ has managed to hold its own in what is a highly competitive market. Last month it teamed up with Grupa Onet-RAS Polska to launch a new video service offering sports content from nc+ and Polish TV channels.
On the other hand, it suffered a blow in June when Polsat won the rights to both the Champions and Europa Leagues, currently held by nc+, for three seasons beginning 2018/19.
Looking to the future, nc+ is likely to remain under pressure in terms of subscriber numbers and could well lose share in what is an increasingly saturated pay-TV market.
It will nevertheless almost certainly continue to be a key player player for many years to come.
