News Analysis

Hong Kong, September 28,  2011 – CASBAA today released its Regulating for Growth 2011 analysis and compendium of Asian pay-TV rules and regulations. Among the key findings of this third edition of the study is that even-handed market-friendly regulation results in economic stimulus, provides consumer benefit and supports creative industries. However, if the pay-TV sector in Asia is to continue to create and distribute great content in the future, it cannot operate based on a policy framework designed for a previously analogue era.

London, UK, September 27, 2011--The Broadband and IPTV Growth Report presented at the Broadband World Forum in Paris, shows that broadband continued to show healthy growth in the first half of 2011. Prepared for the Broadband Forum by industry analysts Point Topic, the figures reveal the broadband subscriber total at the end of June 2011 is now standing at 557.8 million subscriber lines, up by over 29M lines since the start of this year. The second quarter outperformed the same period last year, continuing the trend of stronger growth set in the first quarter’s results announced in June. The good news in broadband was compounded with the news that IPTV has passed a milestone: 51M customers now subscribe to IPTV services worldwide, with France in the lead as top IPTV country.

Montpellier, France, September 19, 2011--IDATE has just published its “World Internet Usages & Markets” report. This report provides data and forecasts on Internet services markets – usage and revenue, by country and region – and is structured around the following key services: search engines, social networking, e-commerce, video and online advertising, both fixed and mobile. It covers Europe, North America and Asia, and analyses both the major trends in each segment and the market’s key players.

London, September 12, 2011--The latest data from analyst firm Point Topic has revealed the current affordability of broadband around the world highlights a stark contrast in broadband prices which will challenge the industry as it looks to increase global penetration.  “Broadband prices can be over a thousand times higher in real terms in the poorer countries,” said Oliver Johnson, CEO at Point Topic.

Middlesex, UK, August 30, 2011--India has just crossed the 100 million mark for pay TV subscribers, representing more than 70% of TV households. According to the India Digital TV Forecasts report, there is still plenty of growth to come, with 139 million pay TV subs forecast for 2016. ARPUs will remain low in India, though pay TV revenues will reach US$8 billion in 2016, double the 2010 figure.

Dublin, Ireland, August 25, 2011--Since the past two decades, the telecom sector is the fastest growing industry in China, accounting for 750 million subscribers in 2010. The burgeoning Chinese telecom sector is poised to become one of the world's largest telecommunication markets, generating tremendous employment opportunities. The industry experienced a metamorphosis with the introduction of 3G services coupled with the rising trend of MVAS platform introduced by the players, according to a new report by Research and Markets.

Scottsdale, Ariz., August 24, 2011--Among Chinese respondents, HDTVs were the second most cited device when considering CE purchase intentions in the next six months, according to a recent trio of surveys conducted by ABI Research on the Asia Pacific consumer electronics markets. Smartphones were number one, with nearly 60% of respondents; only 43% of respondents were interested in HDTVs. Purchase intent was similar in South Korea, with smartphones and HDTVs representing the top two device categories at 47% and 22% of respondents, respectively. In India, mobile phones (29% of respondents), edged out HDTVs (27% of respondents) to take the second position behind smartphones (35% of respondents).

Dublin, Ireland, August 12, 2011--Mobile subscriber growth in the Philippines is experiencing a slowdown due to the fact that the market is approaching saturation, according to the latest Research and Markerts report entitled: "Philippines Telecommunications Report Q4 2011." This report incorporates the latest figures provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Globe Telecom and Digital Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel) into the forecast scenarios, with minor changes in mobile and ARPU expectations.