Pay TV: shifting consumer behaviour is spurring competition and service innovation
Pay TV
Access this insight with a Premium plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
Or
Report details
Pay TV: shifting consumer behaviour is spurring competition and service innovation
£3250
EX. VATThis report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
Contact usPay-TV markets are undergoing significant transformation, driven by shifting consumer behaviour and advancements in enabling technologies. Against this backdrop, understanding the evolution of consumer behaviour is key for companies looking to formulate or adjust their commercial strategies and plans for video services.
Drawing upon our consumer survey covering eight major countries worldwide (China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US) we uncover some of the consumer trends shaping the pay-TV market. For example, one key trend is the rise of cord cutting, with 48% of leavers citing cost of the service as the top reason. Another important development is that the share of subscribers to online TV services who hold three or more services has reached 40%, suggesting that growth may slow down in the future. Additionally, 46% of mobile subscribers already have or are interested in adding video streaming services to their mobile subscriptions, representing an opportunity for bundling.
We also present several case studies of operators innovating their TV propositions.
Report details
Pay TV: shifting consumer behaviour is spurring competition and service innovation
£3250
EX. VATThis report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
Contact usRelated research
Pay-TV Markets, Q4 2025: developments and outlook
Pay-TV markets are seeing an unprecedented evolution, driven by technology investments, shifting consumer behaviour and competition (including from OTT players). This quarterly series outlines the latest market developments and the key trends to watch, charting the period to 2030. The report also provides comprehensive cross-country comparisons at your fingertips, allowing you to identify which markets or technologies will grow the most or how OTT competition will impact the adoption of traditional pay TV.
Industry Checkpoint: pay TV, Q1 2026
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: M&A activity intensifying throughout the media value chain; Charter turning a corner, providing a glimmer of hope for US cable-TV operators under pressure; a new wave of win–win partnerships emerging in OTT video; and an example of a new business model making inroads in pay-TV distribution.
Netflix continues to outperform 20 years on, but younger viewers may be tuning out
GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition looks at viewing trends for Netflix and the streaming market.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Pay-TV Markets, Q4 2025: developments and outlook
Pay-TV markets are seeing an unprecedented evolution, driven by technology investments, shifting consumer behaviour and competition (including from OTT players). This quarterly series outlines the latest market developments and the key trends to watch, charting the period to 2030. The report also provides comprehensive cross-country comparisons at your fingertips, allowing you to identify which markets or technologies will grow the most or how OTT competition will impact the adoption of traditional pay TV.
Industry Checkpoint: pay TV, Q1 2026
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: M&A activity intensifying throughout the media value chain; Charter turning a corner, providing a glimmer of hope for US cable-TV operators under pressure; a new wave of win–win partnerships emerging in OTT video; and an example of a new business model making inroads in pay-TV distribution.
Netflix continues to outperform 20 years on, but younger viewers may be tuning out
GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition looks at viewing trends for Netflix and the streaming market.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics