According to Digital TV Research, the Asia Pacific pay-TV sector is vibrant compared to most of the rest of the world in terms of subscribers, revenues and growth.
In is forecast that by 2022, the China and India totals together, will account for 80% of the Asia Pacific’s 666 million subscribers. In the period up to 2022, China is forecast to add an extra 40 million subscribers and India an extra 30 million. The total number of additional pay-TV subscribers added during this period will be 92 million, however, five of the 22 countries in the region will lose subscribers.
Digital cable will contribute 72 million additional pay-TV subscribers, IPTV will contribute an extra 57 million and pay satellite TV an extra 32 million. However, analogue cable subscriptions will fall by 70 million.
In terms of revenue, China, India and Japan will account for more than two-thirds of the Asia Pacific’s $40.13 billion revenue by 2022. During the period to 2022, pay-TV revenues for the region will increase by $5.75 billion, with India contributing $3.25 billion and China $1.10 billion. Revenues in Bangladesh and Myanmar will double, but will fall in six other countries.
During the same period, China Radio and TV will gain 19.97 million digital cable subscribers but will lose 20.50 million analogue cable subscribers, giving a net loss of 531,000 subscribers. Japan’s SkyPerfecTV will be the next biggest loser with a loss of 289,000 subscribers over the same period.
In revenue terms, China Radio and TV will retain its position as the dominant pay-TV operator in the region, however, its revenues will fall by $763 million during the period.
For IPTV operators, China Telecom will gain 24.39 million subscribers, BesTV will gain 12.19 million and India’s Dish TV will gain 5.20 million. In revenue terms, China Telecom will gain more than $1 billion and BesTV, $608 million.
