Market Trends

Las Vegas, NV, April 14, 2010 – Ernst & Young  released a report on the media and entertainment landscape in the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). The report provides an overview of the latest indicators of market attractiveness, as well as the opportunities, challenges and critical success factors in conducting business in these four countries. 

by NSR

Japan is often looked at as the early adopter of all things technology-related, be it the widespread use of laptops, mobile phones or gaming and value-added services. One would expect that the large LED screens found at busy intersections in Tokyo would naturally spill over to LCD and plasma screens at every possible media opportunity – be it a retail store aisle, cinema theatre or fast-food restaurant. However, a closer look at this otherwise tech-savvy country reveals that players have been slow in rolling out screens – not impeded by technology – but more by a reluctance to be first-to-market with a relatively unproven emerging advertising media.

The experts are predicting a boom in the take-up and acceptance of mobile TV, and the Asia- Pacific region is going to lead the way. According to market research firm, RNCOS, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to account for around 67 percent of the global mobile TV subscribers by the end of 2013. That is a remarkable figure and evidence that, once again, the Asian market is driving and popularizing new innovation.

Set-top boxes are set to reach Asian consumers at an ever-increasing rate, according to new STB market data published by ABI Research. Overall STB shipments in the region, including those for cable, DBS, IPTV, and DTT television services, will approach 111 million in 2014, the culmination of a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in excess of 12% over the 2009-2014 period.

by NSR

In December 2009, VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc (VT Systems), announced that SpaceCom International deployed a GSM cellular backhaul service based on iDirect’s satellite communications platform to rural sites in Afghanistan with immediate plans to expand throughout South and Central Asia. The company said further that the initial deployment in Afghanistan results in significant bandwidth cost savings for GSM operators.

 The Asia-Pacific IPTV subscriber base is expected to grow by 51 percent in 2009 to close at 9.4 million users and account for 37.6 percent of the global subscribers.

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) revealed at their annual conference held in Hong Kong November 3rd, new data for subscription TV penetration across the Asia Pacific, noting that the region now has 326 million pay-TV in 2009, up 26 million homes from last year.

By 2014, 84 percent of all pay-TV net additions will come from emerging markets, however a successful pay-TV VoD service in these markets will depend on a variety of factors, according to a new report by Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom research arm of Light Reading Communications Network (www.lightreading.com).

According to NSR’s new report, Global Direct-to-Home (DTH) Markets, 2nd Edition, satellite television has proven its resilience in tough economic climates, driven primarily by a larger section of viewers choosing television as a cost effective means of entertainment. A total of 99 DTH operators beam over 13,800 channels to 114 million subscribers generating over $65 billion in subscription revenue as of the end of 2008 – and the collective pie continues to grow.