The number of pay-TV subscribers across 138 countries is forecast to reach 1.03 billion by 2027.
This, according to the latest report from Digital TV Research, is slightly up on 2021 as pay-TV continues to grow in developing countries. Furthermore, this total represents 57% of TV households, down from the peak of 61% in 2018.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Given the increasing demand for fast broadband connections, IPTV will be the pay-TV winner. IPTV will add 79 million subscribers between 2021 and 2027 to take its total to 440 million. IPTV will become the pay-TV leader in 2022”.
The report says that pay satellite TV will lose 12 million subscribers between 2021 and 2027 as homes convert to platforms that offer high-speed broadband.
There will be 367 million cable TV subs by 2027, 56 million lower than the 422 million recorded in 2021.
The 2021 total includes 22 million analogue cable TV subscribers, with this total falling to zero by 2027.