According to a report by international market research and consulting firm NSR, at the end of 2009, a total of 113 direct-to-home (DTH) satellite operators carried television services to over 130 million subscribers, up 14% from last year.
The NSR report, Global Direct-to-Home (DTH) Markets, 3rd Edition, shows that the DTH market is showing signs of maturity as developed economies reach saturation after the digital switchover. Developing countries continue to increase subscriber numbers.
In 2009 the industry generated a staggering $70bn in subscription revenue at a blended ARPU of $45. The demand for over 850 transponders maintains DTH applications as the single largest satellite bandwidth consumer. Although the last 12 months was a strong growth period for all regions, NSR expects subscriber growth in the next year to move further away from developed economies towards South Asia and Eastern Europe.
The response to premium services such as High Definition and Digital Video Recorders is polarised even further with the United States and United Kingdom accounting for nearly 80% of premium subscribers.
For additional information on this report visit www.nsr.com.
