Global IPTV household penetration grew by 15 million homes in the first half of 2013, delivering Internet-connected television viewing to more than 80 million households, according to data from IHS. The same IPTV Market Monitor report predicts that IPTV revenues will approach $24.7 billion this year, up by more than 20 percent over last year’s numbers. The number of homes paying for IPTV services is predicted to grow by almost 100 million between now and the end of 2018.

IPTV Growth by Region

IPTV is particularly on the rise in the Asia-Pacific region, with households in those nations accounting for nearly half of IPTV-equipped households. China Telecom alone accounts for one in three households added to the market during the first half of 2013.

Next-generation IPTV also grew quickly in the Middle East. 125 million IPTV households were added there during the first half of 2013, in countries that were traditionally heavy users of satellite television.

In Western Europe, IPTV growth has largely stagnated. Latin America, however, is the region to watch in this market in upcoming months, with a 246 percent year-on-year increase in 2013.

The U.S. is the third-largest IPTV market in terms of subscribers. Growth in the U.S. accounted for nearly half of global IPTV revenues in 2013.

Subscribers worldwide now take options such as the ability to record and replay shows, watch movies and shows on demand, and select from a menu of options and features as a matter of course.  As a result, more households are predicted to opt for Internet-enabled delivery over traditional cable or satellite services, and IPTV penetration may exceed 10 percent of TV households by 2018.