Orion Express, the Russian DTH service, saw its subscriber base grow by 5% in 2016 to 2.953 million. At the same time revenue growth went up by 2% to R3.5 billion (€54.2 million). ARPU for the Orion Express basic package grew by 24% to R103 and by 9% to R277 for the main package. DTH pay-TV services accounted for 76% of Orion Express’s revenues in 2016, with broadcast service providing 21% and channel distribution 3%. The split between B2C and B2B revenue was 75% to 25%.
Orion Express is not expecting a large increase in its subscriber base in 2017 but has plans to continue its expansion elesewhere. The company will be looking to expand in other CIS markets, targeting Armenia and Azerbaijan and also may look at Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
In 2016 Orion Express began to provide DTH services in Georgia through the local company Super TV.
