MUMBAI: Global pay TV households will reach nearly one billion by 2018, up from 772 million in 2012 and 814 million in 2013. According to the Digital TV World Household Forecasts report, the Asia Pacific region will contribute 59 per cent (587 million) of the global total by 2018.

Based on forecasts for 97 countries by Digital TV Research, China will have the most pay TV subs, at 313 million by end-2018, followed by 158 million in India and 107 million in the US. These three countries will account for 58 per cent of global pay TV households by 2018.

Pay TV penetration (analog and digital combined) reached 53.6 per cent of TV households by end-2012, and will rise to 55.7 per cent by end-2013 and 63.1 per cent by 2018. Penetration at end-2018 will range from 86 per cent in the US to 29 per cent in the Middle East and Africa. Pay TV penetration will remain highest in the Netherlands, at 99.5 per cent by end-2018.

The number of digital TV homes will increase by 667 million between 2012 and 2018 to 1,453 million. The digital TV total will climb by 127 million in 2013 alone. Global digital penetration of TV households will climb from 54.7 per cent at end-2012 to 62.5 per cent by end-2013 and on to 92 per cent by 2018.