The Russian pay-TV market is now growing at its slowest rate in five years.
What is more, reports Kommersant, a new business model is emerging, with operators seeking to make more revenues out of existing subscribers rather than acquire new ones.
Quoting figures published by TelecomDaily, it adds that the number of pay-TV subscribers in the country at the end of September stood at 41.88 million, with only 230,000 added in the third quarter.
Penetration stood at 73%, with ARPU growing by R5 (€0.07) to a level of R165.
The five leading operators accounted for 90% of new connections, with Tricolor gaining 30,000 in Q3 to reach a total of 12.2 million.
Second placed Rostelecom meanwhile gained 116,000 new customers, with its base increasing to 9.7 million.
ER Telecom gained 30,000, mainly due to transactions, and Orion 24,300.
All in all, Russia is forecast to gain an additional pay-TV customers this year.