According to a report from In-Stat (News - Alert), Asia holds the top rank in the worldwide PayTV subscription in 2010, with slightly over 50 percent of all subscribers.

Out of the total, China alone covers 26.3 percent, followed by the rest of Asia Pacific at 22.3 percent, North America at 15.3 percent and W. Europe at 15.6 percent. While IPTV (News - Alert) grew quicker than cable and satellite in last year's fourth quarter, all PayTV platforms are expected to grow consistently over the next five years.

Norm Bogen who is the analyst at In-Stat said, "By 2012, there will be nearly three-quarter of a billion PayTV subscribers worldwide. Asia will continue to represent over 50 percent of PayTV subscribers through 2014 when we expect total subscribers to reach 855 million."

Some of the findings of In-Stat in the recent research include:

• The number of IPTV subscribers grew by 9.1 percent than the previous quarter and by 46.1 percent than the previous year, reaching  a total of 33.3 million subscribers in Q4 of 2009
• E. Europe and W. Europe accounted for 49 percent of IPTV subscribers in 2009
• The cable subscribers around the world grew by 4.4 percent in 2009
• The global satellite subscribers are predicted to reach a quarter billion by 2014.
• In 2010, Asia Pacific is predicted to become the largest satellite market by overtaking North America
• Asia Pacific and Latin America/Caribbean regions show the greatest growth rate in satellite subscribers from 2009-2014.

In-Stat's report, 4Q09 PayTV Subscribers Summary, evaluates the global PayTV Subscriber market which include cable such as analog and digital, satellite, and IPTV  of  4th Quarter 2009. It provides information on worldwide subscribers by region for the year 2008 to 2009, actuals for the previous quarter(s) in the current year, five-year subscriber forecasts by platform and by type, free-to-air TV subscriber forecasts, and total available worldwide TV-household market.

Technology vendors, equipment manufacturers, service providers and media companies around the world depend upon In-Stat for making significant business, product and technological decisions. In-Stat has close to 30 years of experience in research and consulting. It has direct relationships with well known players in the main markets In-Stat offers its research via reports, annual subscriptions, consulting and advisory services to inform critical decisions.