Fixed and pay-TV markets: five trends to watch in 2026

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on fixed broadband and FWA, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: increased corporate development activity, such as M&A and strategic investments; more widespread launches of Wi-Fi 7–certified CPE; growing interest in satellite home broadband services; and the increasing availability of AI-powered fibre network deployment solutions from vendors.

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on pay TV, including traditional pay TV and OTT video services, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: acceleration of pay-DTT service closures; US cable operators intensifying their efforts to combat cord-cutting; growing interest from pay-TV operators in FAST-related partnerships; and leading OTT video streaming providers increasing their push on immersive video experiences.

To help navigate the year ahead, we are releasing a series of reports that highlight the key trends to watch in 2025 and the implications for ecosystem players. The analysis covers five key areas: 5G and network transformation; spectrum; IoT and the wider enterprise market; the digital consumer; and fixed and pay-TV markets. This Insight Spotlight addresses the fixed and pay-TV markets.