Satellite Monitor Annual Research Shows SES Increase Reach to 366 Million TV Homes Worldwide

Industry benchmark report confirms SES’s position as a global leader in content delivery over satellite

LUXEMBOURG--()--SES announced today the results of its annual Satellite Monitor market research, the industry’s premier accounting of satellite’s TV reach, which underscores SES’s position as the leader in enabling content delivery via satellite directly and indirectly. SES now delivers almost 8,400 TV channels – including 3,130 in HD or UHD – to a total of 366 million TV homes worldwide, an increase of five million homes over the previous year. SES continues to outperform the industry with the highest number of TV homes reached and record-breaking number of channels delivered.

The increase of TV households served by SES can be attributed to the growing reach in Africa (+9.1 million), APAC (+1 million) and Latin America (+1.7 million), where direct-to-home satellite platforms and IPTV continue to gain traction as leading TV reception methods. In SES’s key European market via 19.2 degrees East, SES continues to reach 117 million homes, delivering content to half of all TV homes in the market via satellite, cable or IPTV. SES’s reach to TV homes in North America is down by 6 million as American audiences turn toward online streaming alternatives.

In Africa, SES continues to expand its satellite reach due to the growth of Ethiopian free-to-air offering, including the country’s first dedicated TV platform Ethiosat. SES has also led an intensive programme to get TV viewers in Ethiopia to repoint their dishes at the satellite positioned at 57 degrees East for the past two years, and is currently serving a predominant number of satellite TV homes in Ethiopia.

The following table shows the 2021 Satellite Monitor regional breakdown of SES’s TV home reach:

Market

TV Homes

Europe

170 million

North America

59 million

Africa

46 million

Latin America

44 million

Asia Pacific

34 million

Middle East

13 million

Additionally, key trends have been identified in African and European markets:

  • TV home evolution in Africa – TV penetration across markets in Africa, such as Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana, has soared by 27% since 2017 as satellite gains popularity as the leading means of TV reception
  • Free-to-air in Europe – As more turn to over-the-top TV (OTT) packages, free-to-air satellite TV remains stable in Europe over the last five years, underscoring the value proposition of satellite TV and the complementary nature of OTT
  • IPTV growth – Internet protocol television (IPTV) continues to grow across Europe as an emerging distribution method, whereas terrestrial television (DTT) declined.

"For almost three decades we have been publishing the Satellite Monitor market research on a yearly basis, enabling our video customers from all over the world to leverage the impartial data to make informed decisions about their business. These additional insights, combined with our premium fleet of satellites’ ability to deliver content in the most cost-effective way to the widest possible audiences, demonstrate why leading broadcasters continue to extend and expand their partnerships with us. This underscores the solidity of our video business for the years to come,” said Deepak Mathur, Executive Vice President of Global Video Sales at SES.

For 28 years, SES’s Satellite Monitor has been a key industry benchmark report conducted by leading market research institutes to analyse the market dynamics (TV reception, resolution, devices, etc.), reach (by country, orbital position and reception mode) and social demographics.

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About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries 8,400 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 366 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com.

Contacts

Suzanne Ong

External Communications

Tel. +352 710 725 500

suzanne.ong@ses.com

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Contacts

Suzanne Ong

External Communications

Tel. +352 710 725 500

suzanne.ong@ses.com