• by Wayne Friedman , September 4, 2013

Telco and IPTV-related TV services will be one of the few growth areas remaining in the multichannel TV-video distribution industry.

In five years, its share of the market will double to 10% from 5% in 2012 -- and will reach 167 million worldwide subscribers by the end of 2018, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. At the end of 2012 it was 69 million, up from 13 million by the end of 2009. The survey examined 97 countries.

The bulk of this added growth -- 71 million of the 98 million, or 73% -- will be from the Asia-Pacific region. Overall, Asia-Pacific will account for 64% of pay IPTV subscribers by 2018.

Global IPTV revenues will rise as well, totaling $21.3 billion in 2018 -- up from $12.0 billion in 2012 and $2.8 billion in 2008.

The U.S. will continue to be the largest IPTV revenue earner, with a 30% share of the market in five years. But this figure is down from a 40% share as of 2008. In five years, China will be the second-biggest market -- with revenues growing four times the current levels. France will drop to fourth place from second place in IPTV revenue.