Majors dominate LatAm pay-TV market
July 20, 2017
According to the latest findings from consultancy firm Dataxis’s quarterly research (Q1 2017), the top five pay-TV operator groups (América Móvil, AT&T, Televisa Group, Telefónica Group and Clarín Group) account for almost two-thirds of the market, with the top three making up more than half the sector. The leader, América Móvil, amasses one fifth of the subscribers of the region (14.6 million subscribers), more than the total markets of Argentina and Colombia.
All groups are multi-nationals that operate at least in two different countries (Grupo Clarín) or more (14 for América Móvil). Dataxis’s research shows that they have a very high mark-up quota (30 per cent or more) in countries where the operators are strongest. For example, with its subsidiaries Izzi Cable and Sky Mexico, Televisa Group represents 61 per cent of the pay-TV market in Mexico with América Móvil taking more than 51 per cent of Brazil’s subscribers, with Claro Brazil and Blue.
In addition to geographic diversification, these groups have a diversified business. All of them -except for AT&T – operate as fixed-line and broadband players, generally in countries where they already offer a pay-TV service.