Forecast: Pay-TV subs to hold steady
October 9, 2023
The number of pay-TV subscribers across 138 countries will remain at just under 1 billion, according to the Global Pay TV Forecasts report from analyst firm Digital TV Research, who forecast a slender decline until 2025, with a small recovery thereafter.
Global pay-TV penetration reached 56 per cent of TV households by end-2023, falling slightly to 54 per cent by end-2029.
“IPTV is the pay-TV winner,” advises Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research. “IPTV will add 36 million subscribers between 2023 and 2029 to take its total to 412 million. IPTV overtook pay satellite TV subscribers in 2018 and will overtake digital cable in 2024.”
Between 2023 and 2029, 82 countries will add pay-TV subscribers and 56 countries will lose subscribers. The US will be the biggest loser – down by 10 million subscribers.