ABI Research, a leading provider of in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies, recently published the results of the latest study, “Pay-TV Subscriptions: Cable, IPTV (News - Alert), Satellite, Digital Terrestrial”, as part of its ongoing study on TV and Video Research Service.

According to the ABI Research Pay-TV market data reports, the net subscriber addition in the global Pay-TV market has seen an increase of two percent in the third quarter of 2010 over that in the second quarter 2010. The report also highlights the increase in seven world regions countries including Western European market including France, Spain and Italy, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa.

The ABI Pay-TV market database includes key subscribers in the video platforms, which is satellite, cable, and telco TV, the global subscriber market share, as well as the Pay-TV subscriptions by the service providers or operators. The entry of new television platforms such as digital terrestrial TV and online video, are not encouraging the subscribers to invest in Pay-TV market, hence the slow subscriber growth especially in areas like Western Europe and North America, which are high penetration areas, meanwhile traditional cable TV and Pay-TV are expected to remain strong in Eastern Europe and Latin American areas.

One such example of the success of Pay digital terrestrial television in Western Europe can be seen in the significant growth achieved by Mediaset, an Italy-based leader in the pay terrestrial TV market. Mediaset has increased its subscriber base by adding nearly 300,000 to the list in the 2Q of 2010, making a total of 4.4 million subscribers. In the global market more that 2.7 million IPTV subscribers had been added in the 3Q 2010. Western European market are in the lead as the largest IPTV markets, followed by Asia-Pacific region and North America. ABI forecasts that the IPTV worldwide subscriber base will exceed over 53 million by the end of 2011. The ABI TV and Video Research service includes, global and next generation set top box markets, 3S TVs, Digital radio, Internet-connected TVs, Pay TV market overview, Video on Demand and Ad Server Market Analysis, global IPTV markets, Cable operators’ service, and much more.

In a press release, the Practice Director at ABI Research (News - Alert), Jason Blackwell, said, “The global number of Pay-TV subscribers reached 692 million in the third quarter of 2010. Pay-TV subscriber growth is holding steady in a number of world regions.”

The Research Associate at ABI Research, Khin Sandi Lynn, added, “At this moment Western Europe, with a comprehensive 99 percent of the terrestrial Pay-TV market, holds the largest terrestrial television market share.”