Austria’s simpliTV launches internet service

Austrian DTT platform simpliTV has commenced offering internet access.

Customers receive a Wi-Fi modem with a SIM card setting up a hotspot through the mobile network of local mobile network operator Drei. The maximum download data rate amounts to 10Mbps, the maximum upload data rate is 4Mbps.

The internet service is a real flat-rate with unlimited data volume. The monthly subscription price starts at €18.00 in combination with simpliTV’s TV offering; it is not available as a stand-alone product.

From December 2015, simpliTV wants to offer the possibility to watch its TV channels in the customer’s household on smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs through the Wi-Fi hotspot.

Top pay-TV operators to add 200 million subs

Pay-TV subscriptions for 338 operators across 89 countries will increase by 200 million from a collective 704 million in 2014 to 904 million by 2020, according to a new report from Digital TV Research.

The Global Pay TV Operator Forecasts report estimates that 29 operators had more than 5 million paying subs by end-2014.

China Radio & TV is the world’s largest pay-TV operator by a long,long way. Government policy to consolidate cable TV means that it quickly became the world’s largest pay-TV operator, with 198 million subs by end-2014. The operator will soon represent every cable TV home in China, with 252 million subscribers expected by 2020 – up by nearly 54 million on 2014.

Following China Radio & TV, IPTV operators China Telecom and BesTV will add 14.7 million and 13.2 million subs respectively. In fact, 12 operators from China and India will collectively add 130 million subscribers between 2014 and 2020.

Global subscriber growth is all the more impressive as 79 (23%) of the 338 operators will lose subscribers between 2014 and 2020. Korea’s CJ Hellovision will lose the most (827,000 subs), followed by Germany’s Unitymedia (down by 592,000) and Romania’s RCS-RDS (down 477,000). Very broadly, pay-TV operators in Asia Pacific’s emerging markets will see strong growth, with North America and Western Europe suffering.

Despite adding 200 million subscribers between 2014 and 2020, subscription and VOD revenues for the 338 operators will remain flat at $183 billion. From the total, 34 pay-TV operators earned more than $1 billion in subscription and VOD revenues in 2014.

The dominance of China and India is diminished when the operators are ranked in subscriptions and VOD revenue terms. Led by DirecTV (now owned by AT&T, which owned three of the top 10 operators by revenues in 2014), the US will take six of the top 10 positions in both 2014 and 2020.

China Radio & TV will add a massive $2.16 billion between 2014 and 2020. In fact, five operators will add more than $500 million in revenues. However, 97 operators (29%) will lose revenues, with Comcast (down by $4.6 billion) declining by the most – followed by Time Warner (down $2.3 billion) and DirecTV (down $1.8 billion).

Pay TV subscribers pass 5 million in Colombia

According to figures from Colombia’s Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC) and Autoridad Nacional de Televisión (ANTV), the number of pay TV subscribers in the country passed the 5 million mark in July.

Telmex is the leading provider with 43% of the market.

           December   December   December      March       June       July
               2012       2013       2014       2015       2015       2015
          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Telmex    1,954,784  2,040,502  2,136,035  2,152,602  2,147,613  2,156,503
UNE EPM   1,049,135  1,059,787  1,040,303  1,029,084  1,016,359  1,013,210
DIRECTV     683,178    868,978    985,776  1,045,265  1,073,874  1,071,944
Coltel      274,008    332,789    389,116    403,847    417,680    420,230
Others      349,318    362,429    346,196    321,106    341,323    356,375
          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Total     4,310,423  4,664,485  4,897,426  4,951,904  4,996,849  5,018,262

More: 2015 Subscriber Numbers [es]; IT Sector Report - September 2015 [es]

ER Telecom adds Multiroom

The Russian cable operator ER Telecom, which employs the brand name Dom.ru, has launched a Multiroom service.

It allows Dom.ru TV subscribers, employing the Dom.ru TV Mini set-top box or a cam module, both of which can be rented, to watch different channels on up to five TV sets at the same time.

Installation is free, with the service subsequently costing R50 (€0.7) a month.

Dom.ru TV offers viewers up to 187 channels, 62 of which are in HD.

According to ER Telecom, over half of apartments in Russia now have at least 2-3 TV sets.

Google launches redesigned Chromecast

Google has launched a completely redesigned version of its Chromecast hdmi dongle. It will also release an updated version of its Chromecast app soon.

The original Chromecast was launched two years ago and Google has now opted for a completely newly designed device: it is circular and available in three distinctive colours.

The device is immediately available in the US and sixteen other countries with a recommended price of $35 (or EUR35). The upgraded hardware includes a new built-in antenna system for better reception of WiFi networks, including 802.11ac (5GHz Wi-Fi).

The new model also has upgraded software, which includes a feature called Fast Play. This starts to pre-load content as the user opens the app rather than waiting for it to open.

Another new feature is called What’s On, that will show a selection of the TV shows, movies, and YouTube clips available to stream to Chromecast, depending on the Chromecast apps on the user’s device.

The app for Apple iOS and Android will also be available to all current Chromecast users – and will work with all legacy devices.

Google also launches its Chromecast for Audio device is the same shape and size as the new Chromecast, except it’s only available in black and has vinyl-record-like grooves. It’ll plug into any speaker or sound system that has RCA cable ports or an optical audio-in port.

Users will be able to stream music from apps such as Pandora, Rdio, Deezer, Google Play Music and Spotify by tapping on a “cast” button in each respective app. Chromecast for Audio also retails for $35 or EUR35.

Tough times for Serbian cable

Cable operators in Serbia pay much more in copyright fees than their counterparts elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe despite achieving a major reduction this year.

Speaking at Media Platform 2015, Andrija Bednarik, chairman of the board at the Serbian cable association PUKOS, said that prior to the beginning of July they were required to pay 8.8% of their income, based on the number of subscribers and subscription fee.

Now, royalties for copyright and related rights amount to just over 3% of their income, with the societies Sokoj, OPPS and PI, and OFA receiving 2%, 1% and 0.158% respectively.

Speaking generally about the market in Serbia, Bednarik added that despite growing in the previous few years, the number of pay-TV homes fell from 1.55 million in 2013 to 1.5 million last year, with penetration down from 62% to 60%.

Cable homes fell from 1.09 million to 931,000, while DTH homes rose from 216,000 to 246,000.
IPTV homes accounted for the remainder and grew by 5% last year.

Meanwhile, pay-TV revenues increased from €120 million in 2013 to €123 millon last year, with cable accounting for 64% of the total.

Boost for Ukrainian DTH platform

The troubled Ukrainian DTH platform Xtra TV will shortly get a new lease of life.

This follows a decision by the country’s National Council on Television and Radio to award a DTH licence to Digital Screens, a company owned by Media Group Ukraine (MGU).

Earlier this year, MGU took over Xtra TV, which has been reduced to broadcasting just two channels (Futbol 1 and Futbol 2).

Digital Screens has been active since 2011 and operates the OTT service OLL.TV.

It will increase the number of channels distributed by Xtra TV to six, with the addition of Ukraina, NLO.TV, Indigo tv and Rada to the line-up, with more to follow.

The licence cost Digital Screens UAH180,000 (€7,336) to obtain.