Exclusive: 25% of CEE SVOD subs now coming via partnerships, says Omdia

Maria Rua Aguete speaking at NEM last year

About 25% of all paid SVOD subscriptions in central and eastern Europe now come via pay TV and telco bundles, according to data from Omdia.

According to the research group, indirect net additions, rather than direct-to-consumer, will account for the lion’s share of SVOD net additions in the region between now and 2028.

That means that indirect subscribers through partnerships will account for 29% of the SVOD total by that date.

The Omdia figures include subscriptions in Russia, where some SVOD services were withdrawn after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As happened elsewhere, subscriber additions peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some volatility and churn afterwards. The year 2022 also the implementation of some high-profile partnership deals in the region, such as HBO Max with Vodafone Hungary, Viaplay with Canal+ Polska and Disney+ with Netia. 

The growing importance of bundling in the CEE region mean that indirect subscriptions are more significant relative to the total than in North America, though the proportion still lags Latin America, where bundling is highly important for SVOD.

“Partnerships between streaming services and telcos are a win-win for both parties,” said Maria Rua Aguete, senior director at Omdia, who will be presenting the data at the NEM conference in Dubrovnik next week.

“For streaming services, it means tapping into a ready-made customer base, while telcos can enhance their value proposition and reduce churn by offering in-demand content as part of their service bundles. These partnerships not only increase subscriber growth but also enhance customer engagement.”
As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, these strategic partnerships are expected to become even more critical in driving subscriber growth and enhancing consumer experience, according to Omdia.

Rua Aguete will be presenting Omdia’s findings at NEM during a session entitled End of an Era? The Rise of Streaming Partnerships on Tuesday June 11 at 17:20 local time.