Telefónica passes five million TV subscriber milestone

Telefónica saw its global TV subscriber base grow by almost half last year to over five million. 

The telco saw TV numbers over all the territories in which it operates grow by 48% in organic terms to reach 5.1 million.

The figure compares with 17.7 global broadband subs, up 138,000 in the course of the year. Fibre broadband homes numbered 1.8 million in December up two and a half times over the course of the year.

In Spain, Telefónica had 1.9 million TV subscribers, a threefold increase on the 2013 figure. The 2014 figure included the addition of 131,000 ‘TV Mini’ customers in the second quarter. Multi-play penetration increased, with Movistar Fusión offers attracting 3.7 million homes, up 27%. However, overall fixed access revenue generating units dipped by 1% to 41.2 million due to the disconnection of inactive mobile subscribers.

Elsewhere, Telefónica saw pay TV numbers in Brazil rise by 20% to 770,000, while TV numbers from Telefónica Hispanoamérica – covering Spanish-speaking America – grew by 14% to 2.4 million.

Fibre, mobile contract and pay TV now form the three main pillars of Telefónica’s strategy, helping it to consolidate its position in Spain.

Overall, full year revenue amounted to €50.4 billion, while operating income was €15.5 billion.