According to Digital TV Research, global pay TV and subscription VOD (SVOD) subscriptions will reach 1.877 billion by 2023. The projected total is up by 505 million (37%) from 1.372 billion at end-2017. SVOD subscriptions are expected to more than double between 2017 and 2023, but traditional pay TV is expected to add only 94 million subscribers.
The United States is expected to have 289 million subscriptions by 2023, up from 222 million at end-2017. Due to cord-cutting, traditional pay TV subscriptions are expected to fall by 10 million to 80 million. However, multiple subscriptions are expected to push the SVOD total from 132 million to 208 million.
Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: "China is the brightest star by adding 171 million subscriptions between these dates to take its total to 610 million. Its pay TV total will 'only' grow by 32 million to 375 million, but SVOD will rocket by 138 million to 235 million. India will add a further 49 million pay TV and SVOD subscriptions to take its total to 210 million in 2023."