France - Digital Economy and Digital TV - Insights, Statistics and Analysis

Synopsis

France is one of Europe’s key markets for telecom convergence. It has Europe’s largest IPTV sector, while a fast-growing number of consumers have adopted bundled offers. The success of this market largely rests on fierce competition which has brought the cost of most bundles to below €30 per month. DSL operators have invested in network upgrades incorporating ADSL2+, while the incumbent France Telecom is deploying a wide-reaching hybrid ADSL/fibre network providing high bandwidth services to meet consumer needs. The consolidated cable sector is now dominated by Numéricable, which manages an upgraded network capable of competing effectively with DSL offerings. Significant progress has also been made in France’s digital terrestrial TV sector, with the first region having been switched to digital services. This report reviews France’s multiple-play and digital TV sectors in 2011, including services such as VoD and IPTV and developments in digital, cable and satellite TV. It also examines the latest regulatory measures relating to digital convergence and applications.

Key developments:

IPTV subscriber base continues growth; DTTV ASO reached; trial interactive data broadcasts of using HbbTV authorised; DVB-T2 standard may be adopted by end-2015; Orange TV migrates to single access platform; regulator’s market data to end-2011; operator data to end-2011; market developments into 2012.

Companies covered in this report include:

Vivendi, Orange, SFR, Iliad, Bouygues Telecom, TPS, AB Group, TNTSat,

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Digital Media
  • 2.1 Key general trends
  • 2.2 Business models
    • 2.2.1 Bundled services
    • 2.2.2 Numéricable
  • 2.3 Regulator issues
    • 2.3.1 VoIP
• 3. Digital TV
  • 3.1 Overview
  • 3.2 Broadband TV (IPTV)
    • 3.2.1 Orange
    • 3.2.2 SFR
    • 3.2.3 Free
    • 3.2.4 Bouygues Telecom
  • 3.3 Video-on-Demand (VoD)
  • 3.4 VoIP
  • 3.5 Interactive TV (iTV)
  • 3.6 Cable TV (CATV)
    • 3.6.1 Cable consolidation
  • 3.7 Satellite-based digital pay TV developments
    • 3.7.1 Canal+
    • 3.7.2 TPS
    • 3.7.3 GlobeCast
    • 3.7.4 Orange
    • 3.7.5 AB Group
    • 3.7.6 TNTSat
    • 3.7.7 SFR
    • 3.7.8 PVRs
  • 3.8 Digital Terrestrial TV (DTTV)
    • 3.8.1 Background
    • 3.8.2 Regulatory framework
    • 3.8.3 Digital switchover
    • 3.8.4 Digital dividend
    • 3.8.5 DTTV launched
  • 3.9 Free-to-Air (FTA)
• 4. Related reports

• Table 1 – IPTV subscribers, proportion of DSL base – 2004 - 2012
• Table 2 – Orange IPTV/satellite subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 3 – Orange Cinéma Séries’ and Sport subscribers – 2009 - 2011
• Table 4 – Free DSL subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 5 – VoD market value – 2008 - 2012
• Table 6 – VoIP lines and traffic in minutes – 2004 - 2012
• Table 7 – VoIP traffic as proportion to all traffic – 2004 - 2012
• Table 8 – France Telecom VoIP and Livebox subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 9 – Cable pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1997 – 2011; 2015
• Table 10 – Satellite pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1997 – 2011; 2015
• Table 11 – Canal+ Group revenue – 2005 - 2011
• Table 12 – Canal + France subscribers – 2006 - 2011
• Table 13 – Orange pay-TV subscribers – 2007 - 2011

• Chart 1 – IPTV subscribers, proportion of DSL base – 2004 – 2012
• Chart 2 – France Telecom VoIP and Livebox subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Chart 3 – Cable pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1997 – 2011; 2015
• Chart 4 – Satellite pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1997 – 2011; 2015

• Exhibit 1 – Overview of digital media