PAY-TELEVISION SERVICES CONSUMPTION SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES AS WELL AS NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS

The volume of sales on the market of Pay TV services (via cable networks and IPTV), as well as the number of their users have increased in Moldova in April - June [when the emergency situation in connection with the pandemic was in force].

The market regulator's data show that the volume of sales of Pay Television (TV) services increased by 4.4 million lei (10.8%), amounting to 45.5 million lei, compared to the same period of 2019. The total number of subscribers has grown since the beginning of the year by 11.7 thousand (3.5%) - up to 347.2 thousand.

Experts explain the increase in revenues by the growth of sales of IPTV network providers - by 46.2%, to 31.8 million lei. At the same time, the sales of cable operators decreased by 29% - to 13.7 million lei. As a result of this dynamics, the operators' average monthly income per subscriber (ARPU) increased by 7.3% and amounted to 43.8 lei. And the penetration rate of Pay TV services increased by 1.9 percentage points - up to 39.4%.

According to the regulator, at the end of June, 57.9% of the total number of subscribers used IPTV networks, and 42.1% - cable TV networks. The share of subscribers receiving TV signal in digital format reached 77.7%, and in analogue format - 22.3%.

The market shares of Pay TV service providers were distributed by turnover as follows: Moldtelecom - 34%, TV BOX - 33%, Orange Moldova - 5%, and the total share of the remaining 40 suppliers is 28%.