South Africa Sports Broadcasting Media (Television and Telecommunications) Market Landscape
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The South Africa Media Landscape Report provides an overview of the television, SVOD and telecommunications market in relation to sports broadcasting in South Africa today, with top-level data and detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2029. The report analyses the television, mobile handset and residential fixed-line broadband sectors, as well as a review of major sports media rights.
Scope
Pay-TV operators had 8.9 million subscribers in 2024. Total pay-TV subscriptions will grow by approximately 577,000 over the forecast period, reaching 9.5 million in 2029. Direct-to-home (DTH) satellite will remain the only pay-TV platform in the country over the next five years.
South Africa had an estimated 5.4 million subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) accounts at the end of 2024, an increase of 756,000 or 16.3% from 2023. South Africa makes up the largest proportion of SVOD subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa’s SVOD accounts are expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.6% over the forecast period, reaching 8.1 million in 2029.
Total mobile subscriptions in South Africa reached an estimated 132.6 million in 2024. Over the 2024-2029 forecast period, mobile operators will add a combined 14.0 million mobile subscribers at a CAGR of 2.0%, bringing the country’s total mobile subscriptions to 146.6 million in 2029.
Total fixed broadband lines in South Africa will increase from 2.3 million in 2024 to 3.5 million by the end of 2029, supported by ongoing investments by the telcos and internet service providers in modernizing fixed broadband network services across South Africa. The SA Connect initiative aims to provide 100% of South Africa’s population to fixed broadband speeds of 10 Mbps and 80% of the population to 100 Mbps speeds by 2030.
Key Highlights
The pay-TV market in South Africa remains a duopoly of MultiChoice and StarSat. MultiChoice, accounting for an 85.1% share of total pay-TV subscriptions in 2023, will remain the market leader over 2023-2028.
Showmax and Netflix were responsible for 86.6% of the South African SVOD market in 2023.
4G will remain the leading mobile technology in South Africa, with its subscription share increasing from 56.6% in 2023 to 68.3% in 2028, supported by operators’ focus on the expansion and modernization of 4G networks in the country.
Fiber will continue to be the leading technology to deliver residential fixed broadband services in South Africa over the forecast period. Fiber lines accounted for an estimated 66.3% of total broadband lines in 2023 and will reach 72.2% by the end of 2028.
Reasons to Buy
This Sports Broadcasting Media Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of the South African television, SVOD and telecommunications markets, and service providers in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.
Accompanying GlobalData’s Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in South Africa’s pay-TV, SVOD, mobile handset and residential fixed broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.
With 22 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.
eMedia
MTN
MultiChoice
Netflix
SABC
Showmax
StarSat
SuperSport
Telkom
Vodacom
Table of Contents
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