SES calls on Spain to boost 4K uptake
April 5, 2018
From David Del Valle in Madrid
4K take-up is gaining momentum in Spain with 10 per cent of homes now UHD-ready homes, and with 4K TV sales surpassing SD/HD this year. Additionally, an SES report by Kantar TNS predicts of 25 per cent of households will be equipped with UHD by 2020.
But SES Astra has reported legal and competition constraints and has urged the Administration to step in and pave the way for the development of the country’s 4K market.
“Satellite 4K TV is being limited due to the interests of the traditional broadcasters and the Government to maintain the current model,” said Luis Sahún, General director at SES Spain. “We demand the same opportunities for all the players and a regulatory framework that eases the development of 4K. With the current regulation, there is no an effective competition” pointed out Miguel Pingarrón, Business Director of SES Spain.
The SES report reveals that between 20 and 25 per cent of viewers would be willing to pay between €3 and €6 for ‘FTA’ 4K content. Amongst pay-TV subscribers, between 30 and 60 per cent would be willing to pay a price between €3 and €9. The majority of bars and restaurants (there are 170,000 in Spain) would be willing to pay up to €15.
SES Astra says Spain is ready for 4K with 36.4 per cent of surveyed viewers planning to buy a 4K TV in the near future.
SES Astra currently distributes 38 4K TV channels, out of which 25 are commercial.
According to the report, currently Spaniards watch 4K content mainly through Netflix (38.5 per cent), YouTube (34.9 per cent), TVE (17.1 per cent), Amazon Prime (11.5 per cent), Vodafone (6.2 per cent) and Orange (4.8 per cent).