Despite the streaming juggernaut accelerating through 2022, 30% of European TV homes still rely exclusively on free-to-air (FTA) channels for TV consumption and the ongoing evolution of DTT transmission standards could be seen as a way to rejuvenate the market says a research note from Dataxis.
The analyst observed that although the penetration of digital terrestrial television has been steadily declining in Europe over the past few years, technology standards have evolved, as 28 countries of the region already made the second generation of DVB system for terrestrial broadcasting, DVB-T2, available to their population. DVB-T2 enables a more efficient use of spectrum and allows viewers to access a wider range of services, in SD and in HD.
Poland, Italy, and Spain are the three latest countries to have completed their transition to DVBT-2, in 2022. And while Dataxis believes that the re-emergence of linear consumption through free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels stirs up passions in the OTT world, many European households continue to count on traditional terrestrial or satellite infrastructure to watch linear TV. This amounted to 91 million households in 2022.
The research found that most of these FTA households used DTT networks, as they currently represent around two third of total FTA households. In total and including the paying access, around 20% of TV households in Europe need terrestrial television for their primary TV consumption.
“Infrastructure networks can also work as a complement to other distribution modes, and provide FTA channels efficiently and at lower costs,” said Sa Eva Nébié, head of research at Dataxis. “As a reliable, cost efficient and widely available free TV option, DTT platforms using the latest standard should remain an important distribution option for many years in European countries.”
Poland, Italy, and Spain are the three latest countries to have completed their transition to DVBT-2, in 2022. And while Dataxis believes that the re-emergence of linear consumption through free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels stirs up passions in the OTT world, many European households continue to count on traditional terrestrial or satellite infrastructure to watch linear TV. This amounted to 91 million households in 2022.
The research found that most of these FTA households used DTT networks, as they currently represent around two third of total FTA households. In total and including the paying access, around 20% of TV households in Europe need terrestrial television for their primary TV consumption.
“Infrastructure networks can also work as a complement to other distribution modes, and provide FTA channels efficiently and at lower costs,” said Sa Eva Nébié, head of research at Dataxis. “As a reliable, cost efficient and widely available free TV option, DTT platforms using the latest standard should remain an important distribution option for many years in European countries.”
