Record numbers of households across the Middle East and Africa are signing up for pay TV, according to new research from Informa Telecoms & Media.
In 2000 there were just over 2.5 million pay TV subscribers across the MENA region. By the end of last year that total had more than trebled to 9.2 million and Informa’s research shows it is heading for 9.6 million by the end of 2011 and will pass the 10 million mark next year.
Around 94 per cent of UK households will have a TV set capable of receiving high-definition (HD) programming by 2016, according to the latest forecasts from Informa Telecoms & Media. This compares favorably with the worldwide average of 48 per cent and puts the UK third globally, behind Canada and New Zealand (each with 95 per cent).
Walking the floor at last year’s IP&TV World Forum I was struck by the general air of despondency amongst IPTV companies. There were some serious doubts being expressed about basic rudiments such as business models and standards. At the heart of this diffidence was the 3 letter acronym – OTT. Many were still trying to get a handle on what, precisely, the rise of OTT meant for them.
Fast forward a year and at this year’s Forum there was a much greater air of confidence amongst those I talked to in the managed IPTV sector.
Having just completed our latest research on Central and Eastern Europe, a picture is emerging of fairly rapid digital TV growth. The good news is that this looks set to continue over the next five years. Having ended 2008 with 32 million digital homes, the region is expected to close 2014 with 87 million, so pretty much a three-fold increase.
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