Telcos Overtake Cablecos in Asia-Pacific, Says ABI

Asia-Pacific telcos are forecast to see service revenues from DSL, fiber broadband and IPTV rise from $52.5 billion in 2010 to $79.5 billion in 2016, according to ABI Research’s study “Pay TV and Broadband Markets in China, India, Japan and Asia-Pacific.” Significant revenue growth will come from fiber broadband and IPTV services, offset slightly by some declines in broadband DSL.??

Cable companies in the region will see revenues decline slightly, from $51 billion to $49.5 billion, with increases in cable broadband offsetting some loss of pay-TV revenue to telco-provided IPTV and satellite.

In sum, telcos will see revenue growth of 51 percent while cable companies see a decline of revenues by 3 percent.

“Managers at international companies are all aware of the fabulous opportunities in Asia where population growth and economic growth meet, and the potential for technology adoption seems endless. At the same time, country-to-country variations and different business norms make understanding the opportunities, and engaging to win, very difficult,” said ABI research practice director Jason Blackwell, in a statement.??

Both China and India have significant regulation unfolding which will shift the balance of power between telcos and cable companies.

“China’s Triple-Play Net Convergence initiative has already started to force the consolidation of provincial level cable operators to serve populations of approximately 20 million – up from small regional operators serving hundreds of thousands to a few million,” said ABI Research senior analyst Sam Rosen, in a statement. “India is discussing a broadband plan built around a national fiber optic network that has the potential to improve broadband penetration and other services – if the country can get past political and regulatory hurdles.”