Russian digital pay TV universe grows

Digital pay TV subscribers in Russia numbered 10.3 million at the end of 2011, representing penetration of 19%, according to a survey by research group Telecomdaily. Including analogue, total pay TV subscribers in Russian number 26 million, according to Telecomdaily.

Telecomdaily predicts that digital pay TV subscribers will grow to 14 million households by the end of this year.

Tricolor TV accounts for the lion’s share of digital TV subscribers, with a 72.8% share, followed by Rostelecom with a 6.8% share, NTV Plus with 6.3%, Orion Express with 5.5% and Akado with 4.9%.

Telecomdaily’s report follows another from J’Son & Partners Consulting, which estimated the pay TV total at 26 million, including analogue, up 9% on the previous year. Analogue cable accounted for 56% of subscribers, according to J’Son, with satellite accounting for 30%, digital cable for 10% and IPTV for 5%.

J’Son predicts that digital cable will account for a 32% share in five years time, with analogue cable dropping to 27%, satellite growing to 29% and IPTV growing to 12%.