The number of IPTV subscribers is projected to increase from around 40 million in 2010 to 70 million in 2014, according to an analysis of the top 75 media economies in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region by SNL Kagan.
Over that same period, IPTV video service revenues will more than double from $12.9 billion in 2010 to $27 billion in 2014, when IPTV revenues will account for about 11% of global pay-TV revenues.
While IPTV subs remain a small portion of the worldwide total multichannel homes today, the growth is expected to increase deployments of 'TV Everywhere' technologies that will make more content available on more platforms.
"Although IPTV presently accounts for just 6% of the world's pay-TV subscribers, the platform is fueling hyper-competition and video service innovation in major markets globally," noted Julija Jurkevic, media and communications analyst at SNL Kagan in a statement. "Telcos often provide the spark igniting consumer interest in multi-screen services, HD and VOD, generating in parallel support for investment in next generation broadband networks."
SNL Kagan found that IPTV adoption has been growing at a 92.4% compound annual growth rate over the past six years.
Over the next four years, the research company is predicting that Western Europe will continue to lead the world in IPTV subscriptions, reaching 26.7 million households by 2014.
China will become the second largest IPTV market, reaching 12.4 million IPTV subscribers by 2014 and pushing the U.S. into third place.
Unlike the cable industry, the IPTV sector tends to be heavily concentrated, with five big telcos accounting for 44.3% of the global IPTV subscriber base at year-end 2010.
