IPTV subs passed 12m worldwide in 2007Users in Western Europe make up 57% of global total, but growth rates also high elsewhere; U.S., Canadian markets surged 306%.
Global IPTV subscriptions rocketed 117% to reach 12.34 million in 2007, according to new research published Tuesday by Informa Telecoms and Media.
Western Europe accounts for the largest proportion of IPTV subscribers with 6.9 million, or 57% of the global total, but growth elsewhere was rapid last year.
France is still leading the way in the region, with services from France Telecom, Free, Neuf Cegetel and Alice garnering 5 million customers between them, making up 75% of the total number of subscribers in Western Europe.
IPTV customers at BT and Deutsche Telekom doubled during the year; however, this still leaves them with just 100,000 subscribers each.
“It will be interesting to note their approach to IPTV in the future: whether it is used to increase customer loyalty or whether it is a genuine money-making standalone service,” he said.
While IPTV customers surged an impressive 96% in Western Europe, with a larger existing base, the region experienced the lowest rate of growth last year.
IPTV subscriptions in Eastern Europe grew by 108%, while customers in the U.S. and Canada increased by a combined 306% on year to over 1.3 million from 326,093.
“The USA… has begun to make headway, adding more than 1 million customers in 2007, largely on the back of fibre to the home (FTTH) roll-outs led by Verizon (FiOS) and AT&T Broadband,” said Informa in a statement.
Asia Pacific subscribers grew by 121% to 3.3 million last year, from 1.5 million in 2006.
“China is now at or around the 1 million subscriber mark,” a nine-fold increase during the year, with IPTV provider SMG offering IPTV services in Harbin and Shanghai.
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