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Cable Homes in Europe Reached 69.2 Million in 2017 - the Highest Level Since 2009, IHS Markit SaysThe number of cable homes in Europe once again grew year on year in 2017, reaching 69.2 million and comprising 36.3 percent of all television households. This was the largest number of cable homes in Europe since 2009, when the figure stood at 70 million, according to the "European Broadband Cable Yearbook" from IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO) and Cable Europe. 2017 marked the second consecutive year of growth in cable homes following a period of stagnation since the previous 70 million high. Key findings from the new 2018 edition, which is the only industry report supported by Cable Europe, include the following:
Annual total cable revenue continued the steady growth path set in 2010, reaching €25.9 billion last year - up 2 percent compared to 2016. In terms of revenue growth, internet was the best-performing cable category, with revenue rising 4 percent to €9 billion in 2017. "Broadband internet is a key factor in European cable TV revenue growth," said Maria Rua Aguete, executive director of media, service providers and platforms for IHS Markit. "Triple-play and quad-play strategies are also being implemented. They strengthen operators' status as a multi-platform point to anytime, anywhere content." Telephony revenue contracted for the second consecutive year, declining 0.7 percent to €5 billion. Revenues for video-on-demand services increased in 2017, returning to growth following the category's minor downturn between 2012 and 2014. Average montly revenue per subscriber (ARPU) last year was €16.79 for television, €19.59 for internet and €14.35 for telephony. The total number of cable TV service subscribers in Europe in 2017 remained flat at 58.9 million. "The European cable industry continues to show resilience," said Martyn Hannant, research and analysis manager, IHS Markit. "The industry has made significant progress in the switchover from analogue to digital cable signals." The rate of digitization of European cable TV homes grew in 2017. As the digital switchover gathered momentum, the number of digital subscribers grew 13 percent compared to 2016. A significant portion of this growth came from Germany's Unitymedia (News - Alert), which switched off its analogue TV signals in July 2017. Mergers and acquisitions were once again a key characteristic of the European cable industry last year, including the sale of UPC Austria to T-Mobile Austria, Telenet's purchase of Altice's SFR (News - Alert) Belux and Euskaltel's acquisition of Telecable. However, these deals were somewhat eclipsed by the €18.4 billion Liberty Global agreement to sell key European assets to Vodafone (News - Alert) in Germany, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic. Cable operators also made further enhancements to their services last year. For instance, German companies launched advanced TV services, including the rollout of the Vodafone GigaTV service and the Tele Colombus introduction of AdvanceTV. Both services crucially incorporated 4K capabilities. The use of Android (News - Alert) TV for interactive TV services also became increasingly popular in Europe last year, as DNA in Finland and YouSee in Denmark both launched Android TV products. * A revenue-generating unit (RGU) is equivalent to an individual subscription. A single home can, therefore, represent several RGUs (for example, one each for TV, internet and telephony). About IHS (News - Alert) Markit (www.ihsmarkit.com) IHS Markit (Nasdaq: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 business and government customers, including 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world's leading financial institutions. IHS Markit is a registered trademark of IHS Markit Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners © 2018 IHS Markit Ltd. All rights reserved. About the Cable Yearbook The European Broadband Cable Yearbook, produced in association with trade body Cable Europe, is widely recognised as the definitive guide to the European Cable Industry. Now in its 18th edition, this annual report contains detailed data on the size and value of the cable industry in all European Union countries as well as other European Economic Area markets. With company-level information and market-wide analysis, it shows trends in cable uptake, digital progression, revenue and ARPU, broadband cable and cable telephony. It also includes a written summary of the cable industry developments within each country over the last year. About Cable Europe (www.cable-europe.eu) Cable Europe is the trade association that connects leading broadband cable TV operators and their national trade associations throughout the European Union. The regulatory and public policy activities of Cable Europe aim to promote and defend the industry's policies and business interests at European and international levels. The European cable industry provides high-speed broadband internet, TV services and telephony to more than 65.8 million homes in the European Union. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107005194/en/ |
