ABI: Digital Set-Top Boxes to Peak in 2009
October 31, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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Annual shipment trends for digital terrestrial television (DTT)–enabled set-top boxes (STB) will be uneven over the next several years, according to ABI Research, as the timing of digital switchover and DTT service availability varies dramatically from country to country.
A decline in Western Europe will come as the result of an earlier switchover to digital in most countries, analysts said, along with the need for consumers with analog TVs receiving over-the-air (OTA) signals to obtain DTT STBs or to join pay-TV services.
A 2009 peak in North America reflects the timing of the digital switchover and highlights the need for those with free OTA service on analog TVs to make a switch.
"The spike in 2009 reflects a jump in North America and continued growth in Eastern Europe and the Middle East/Africa [MEA] region," said Stan Schatt, ABI Research vice president and research director.
"After a subsequent decline, annual shipments again will increase in 2012, as the decline in annual DTT STB shipments stabilizes and annual shipments of IP [Internet protocol] STBs with DTT capabilities continue to grow."
In 2007, there has been strong market growth in Western Europe, particularly for relay stations. Analysts said Asia-Pacific is also picking up with DTT head-end deployments, as telecom operators seek to partner with DTT service providers to enhance telephone company (telco) TV services which are not permitted to include broadcast channels.
Analysts said a slight uptick in 2012 for Asia-Pacific reflects the start of DTT traction in China, and the steadying of shipments in Western Europe is a sign of the use of DTT in IP STBs offsetting declines in stand-alone DTT STBs.
"The timing of DTT rollouts will depend, in part, on digital switchover dates, as well as the interest of telecom operators (many of whom are getting licenses to be official DTT operators) in order to develop DTT systems to integrate into telco TV services," Schatt said.
Source: ABI Research.