Pay TV to remain above 1 billion subscribers

Despite a global shift towards cord-cutting, the number of global pay TV subscribers is set to remain at around one billion in the coming years.

According to Digital TV Research, the number of pay TV subscribers across 138 countries will reach 1.03 billion by 2027. This figure is slightly up on 2021 – representing 57% of TV households (down from a 2018 peak of 61%).

IPTV will be the largest paid platform with 440 million subscribers globally. There will be 367 million cable TV subs by 2027, 56 million lower than the 422 million recorded in 2021. The 2021 total includes 22 million analogue cable TV subscribers – a number that will fall to zero by 2027.

Pay satellite TV meanwhile will lose 12 million subscribers by 2027 to a total of 195 million. The report notes that this will come as a result of homes converting to platforms that offer high-speed broadband. 

Free DTT will be at 505 million, followed by free satellite with 275 million.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Given the increasing demand for fast broadband connections, IPTV will be the pay TV winner. IPTV will add 79 million subscribers between 2021 and 2027 to take its total to 440 million. IPTV will become the pay TV leader in 2022.”