Pay TV: 1 Billion Subs by 2018

According to Digital TV Research, global pay TV households will reach nearly 1 billion by 2018, up from 772 million in 2012 and 814 million in 2013. The research house expects the Asia Pacific region to make up 59% (587 million) of the global total by 2018.China is expected to have the most pay TV subs, at 313 million by end-2018, followed by 158 million in India and 107 million in the United States. These three countries are expected to account for 58% of global pay TV households by 2018.Pay TV penetration (analog and digital combined) reached 53.6% of TV households by end-2012 and is expected to rise to 55.7% by end-2013 and 63.1% by 2018. Penetration at end-2018 is expected to range from 86% in North America to 29% in the Middle East and Africa. Pay TV penetration is expected to remain highest in the Netherlands, at 99.5% by end-2018.