By 2012, more than 52 million pay-TV subscribers worldwide will have adopted IPTV service, according to a new forecast from IMS Research.
Additionally, IP set-top box shipments will grow nearly 30 percent annually during this time period. The forecasts are part of “IPTV: A Global Market Analysis - 2008 Edition,” an IMS Research study examining the worldwide IPTV market from infrastructure to operators.
According to IMS Research, infrastructure upgrades and strategic alliances between major industry players have enabled Tier 2 and Tier 3 telcos to deliver IPTV, leading to significant growth in rural markets.
In the United States, SES Americom’s IP-Prime alliance with the NRTC and the NTCA is expected to accelerate time to market for rural telcos by reducing the cost of entry into the market for IP-delivered digital video, said IMS Research analyst and study author Shane Walker. A similar trend is emerging in several countries worldwide, he added.
For more information, visit: www.imsresearch.com.