Spain - Digital Economy and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

Synopsis

Spain’s digital media market has developed in line with investments in fixed-line infrastructure. This has seen strong growth in the number of next generation network access lines able to deliver IP content and services. This focus on faster IP networks, encouraged by the government and facilitated by regulatory measures which promote access was initially based on ADSL2+ and VDSL technologies, but is increasingly dependent on fibre. The regulator in early 2017 redefined access conditions to alternative operators on Telefónica’s fibre infrastructure, particularly affecting municipalities where there is insufficient competition.

Cable operators as well as Telefónica are at the forefront of the convergence markets, promoting faster data rates to support videostreaming and similar digital content. Satellite TV has seen considerable changes in recent years following the merger of Telefónica’s Via Digital with Canal Satélite Digital. More recently, Telefónica’s acquisition of Canal Plus has given it dominance in the pay-TV market, with about three-quarters of the pay-TV subscriber base. The videostreaming market is increasingly competitive, with Netflix having entered the market in mid-2015, competing with Telefónica’s popular Yomvi service and Vodafone’s new Vodafone One service. By contrast, DTT services have failed to gain momentum.

This report provides an overview of developments in bundled and VoIP services, and also analyses the digital and satellite TV markets.

Key developments:

Netflix launches services in Spain; Telefónica launches new pay TV offering integrating Movistar + with Canal+ and the Yomvi OTT service; new DTT channels fail to gain solid subscriber base; Digital+ rebrands as Canal+; Abertis Telecom sells half if its stake in Eutelsat; Jazztel launches Jazzbox OTT platform; R Cable acquired by Euskaltel for €1.155 billion; report update includes the regulator’s market data to November 2016, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q4 2016, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Ono, Canal+, Prisa, Telefónica, Jazztel, Orange.