Though it has not yet taken off, pay DTT is potentially expected to reach between 1.35 and 1.45 million subs to a premium package and 1 million to a thematic offer by 2012. These figures have been released by research company NPA Conseil before TV regulatory body CSA launches three new pay-DTT tenders by the end of June.
New channels will complement the current offer of theme channels composed of Planète, Paris Première, LCI, TF6 and Eurosport.
NPA’s study explains these prospective figures are based on the fact that the pay-DTT market has been impacted by several key events such as the merger between distributors TV Numeric and TNT Top whose subscriber base now reaches 55,000 households.
Positive announcements from premium actors such as Canal+ and Orange and new entrants the French Football League, have pushed NPA to predict pay-DTT has a brighter future. All the more as CSA has maintained its plan to raise the number of multiplexes to 11 in 2015, including 8 as soon as 2011, with a priority given to HD and free services. Push Vod tests have also been given new chances.
NPA concludes that in the rest of Europe, pay DTT is keeping dynamic and is playing a leading role in the development of DTT in countries such as Sweden, Italy, Germany and in Spain.
“Historical European pay-TV actors like Sky, Viasat and Canal+ Nordic, show interest in pay DTT as it allow to launch low-cost offers and display further digital developments like Vod, HD or triple-play,” the report says.
© Rapid TV News 2010
France DTT, pay-DTT, CSA, Canal+, orange, NPA Conseil
