Pay-TV Demand Holds Up

New research from MPA shows that the top 40 pay-TV operators in Asia added an aggregate of 5.8 mil. net new subs over 1H 09, taking their combined customer base to 65.3 mil., around a third of the installed pay-TV base across the region. MPA forecasts indicate that these operators will end the year with 70.7 mil. subs, implying annual net adds of 11.3 mil and close to 20% annual growth.

Subscriber growth has been significant in low-ARPU emerging markets such as China and India, where cable and DTH, respectively, have led the way. Subscriber and ARPU growth has softened in Singapore and Hong Kong and churn has grown in Indonesia, but customer growth remains robust in Thailand, Malaysia and, for the most part, Australia. The growth of IPTV has provided a much needed boost to the saturated Japan market. More than 70% of the 40 operators’ user base had been upgraded to DTV by the end of June due to momentum in China, Australia, Japan and Korea, and a recent cable DTV relaunch in Taiwan. However, India has disappointed in terms of cable DTV growth.

MPA expects the total DTV installed base for the 40 operators to reach over 54 mil. by the end of 2009, more than 75% of total subs and close to 50% market share in DTV pay-TV across Asia. Next-generation DTV deployment is helping bolster ARPUs and profit for operators in Australia, Japan and Korea...MORE