14 December 2011
14.12.2011
The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has published today the Half-yearly statistical data report on the services of linear audiovisual media programmes provided to end-users, for the first half of 2011. The report shows a minor decrease of the total number of audiovisual programme retransmission subscribers generated by the downturn of the number of DTH satellite subscribers, which was not totally compensated by the upturn of the number of cable subscribers.
The total number of audiovisual programme retransmission subscribers amounted to 5.7 million as of midyear, down by 0.6% as compared to end-2010, mainly because of the diminution by 8% of the number of DTH subscribers, which fell to 2.2 million. The number of subscribers to retransmission services provided on cable networks and to IPTV services grew in the first semester of this year by 4% and, respectively, 28% up to 3.5 million and 0.04 million, respectively.
The penetration rate of the audiovisual programme retransmission services per households (computed as the ratio between the total number of subscribers and the number of households in Romania) reached 78%.
As of mid-2011, the cable networks registered increases as regards both the total number of subscribers (+4%) and the number of subscribers to audiovisual programme retransmission services received in digital format, up by 85%. The growth of the number of cable subscribers in the urban area (+4.2%) was superior to that registered in the rural area (+3.4%). Thus, the rural area registered 0.78 million subscribers and a penetration rate which rose to 23.1%. In the urban area, there were 2.68 million subscribers (approx. 78% of the total number of cable subscribers), with a penetration rate of 68%. Within the total number of cable subscribers, 21% are subscribers to audiovisual programme retransmission services received in digital format. As mentioned before, the number of these subscribers increased by 85% in the first semester of 2011.
The statistical data report was elaborated based on the data reported by theproviders of audiovisual programme retransmission services, which carried out commercial activities between 1 January and 30 June 2011, and is available for consultation here.