European pay TV revenues will remain flat until 2016


Pay TV revenues in Western Europe will not grow between now and 2016, according to new research. Digital TV Research says that ARPU will fall across pay TV platforms as new platforms launch, over-the-top services roll out and consumers take up free-to-air digital terrestrial services.


By platform, Digital TV Research estimates that digital DTH services will generate the largest proportion of overall pay TV revenues by 2016, bringing in US$19 billion (€13 billion). Digital cable will generate US$11.3 billion and pay DTT services US$2 billion.


“This seems extraordinary at first glance considering that nine million pay-TV households with be added over the same period,” report author Simon Murray said of the forecast of flat revenues for pay TV in Western Europe. “ARPU is also being forced down as cable operators and telcos convert subscribers to dual-play or triple-play bundles. These subscribers provide operators with higher overall [blended] ARPU than standalone TV subscribers, but lower TV ARPU.”

Pay TV revenues in Western Europe will not grow between now and 2016, according to new research. Digital TV Research says that ARPU will fall across pay TV platforms as new platforms launch, over-the-top services roll out and consumers take up free-to-air digital terrestrial services.
By platform, Digital TV Research estimates that digital DTH services will generate the largest proportion of overall pay TV revenues by 2016, bringing in US$19 billion (€13 billion). Digital cable will generate US$11.3 billion and pay DTT services US$2 billion.

“This seems extraordinary at first glance considering that nine million pay-TV households with be added over the same period,” report author Simon Murray said of the forecast of flat revenues for pay TV in Western Europe. “ARPU is also being forced down as cable operators and telcos convert subscribers to dual-play or triple-play bundles. These subscribers provide operators with higher overall [blended] ARPU than standalone TV subscribers, but lower TV ARPU.”