Chris Dziadul Final

Chris Dziadul
Chief East European Analyst
 
DTH:
Consolidation slowly starting.
 
Cable:
Digital take-up growing.
 
IPTV:
Mixed fortunes.
 
DTT:
ASO achieved in some markets.
Pay-TV sector nearing saturation.
  Cable consolidation: UPC/Aster deal approved
More to follow?
  TVN sale: Deal with Vivendi; DTH merger.
  Cyfrowy Polsat; innovation (LTE); Solorz-Zak –
moving into telecom sector.
  DTT up and running. ASO 2013.
  Internet on demand services growing rapidly.
 
TVP
Pubcaster with growing thematic channel
portfolio
(Cyfrowy) Polsat
Broadcaster. DTH platform
TVN
Broadcaster; n and TNK (DTH)
UPC Polska
Leading cableco
Cyfra+
Vivendi-backed DTH platform
TPSA
Incumbent telco. DTH and IPTV operator
Region s largest DTH market, with Tricolor
leading platform (9m subs, Nov 2011).
  Cable consolidation. NTK, operator of NKS,
now backed by Rostelecom. Akado still target
for Megafon.
  DTT transition under way, but doubts about
2015 completion target.
  Foreign involvement: MTG (CTC Media,
Raduga); RTL (Ren TV ownership swap).
  Consolidation in telecom sector.
 
Gazprom Media
Assets include NTV and DTH platform NTV-Plus
CTC Media
Operates CTC, DTV and Domashny
Tricolor TV
Leading DTH platform. Backed by Gazprom Media
NKS
Largest cableco. Operated by NTK Akado
Moscow-based cableco
Sistema
Interests include MTS and Comstar (Stream TV)
Vimpelcom
Telco, owner of Beeline IPTV service
Rostelecom
Telco and key player in pay-TV sector. Likely to be
merged with Svyazinvest
CME leading player in both markets: TV Nova
and Markiza TV. Voyo on demand launched
by both earlier this year.
  Skylink, CS Link head DTH sector: new
response by UPC Direct.
  UPC leading cableco in both markets. Strong
take-up of digital services.
  Both countries on track with transition to
digital broadcasting.
 
TV Nova
Leading Czech broadcaster and thematic channel
operator, owned by CME
Markiza TV
TV Nova’s sister station in Slovakia
UPC Largest cableco in both markets; operates freeSAT
(former UPC Direct)
Skylink
Leading DTH platform. Sold by TradeTec (CZ) and
Towercom (SK) to M7 Group (Lux) in October 2011
Telefónica O2
Czech incumbent. Operates O2 TV IPTV service
Towercom
Slovak transmission company. Ownership links with
TV Joj
Slovak Telecom
Operates DTH and IPTV service, the latter competing
with Orange
DTH sector continuing to grow: new platform
named Btel launched in June 2011.
  DTT succeeding after difficult start, with pay
service MinDig TV Extra claiming over 30,000
subscribers in Q2.
  Magyar Telekom gaining DTH and IPTV subs,
but losing cable market share.
  UPC and RCS&RDS (Digi) remain the key
players in cable/DTH sectors.
 
UPC
Leading cableco and also operates UPC Direct DTH
platform
RCS&RDS
Operates cable and DTH services under the Digi
brand name
Magyar Telekom
Deutsche Telekom-backed cable, DTH and IPTV
operator. Also has TV/broadband interests in
Macedonia and Montenegro
Antenna Hungária
National transmission company. Operates MinDig
TV/Extra DTT services
DTH market consolidating: AKTA Satelit and
Boom TV taken over by Romtelecom earlier
this year.
  However, new platform named Freesat may
shortly be launched.
  UPC Romania – performance improving, but
rumours of sale to RCS&RDS persist.
  Unique market conditions, leading to price
war between operators.
  DTT launch back on track?
 
RCS&RDS
Leading cable and DTH operator, using brand name
Digi. Already has approx 3m pay-TV subs. Looking
to expand and is increasingly focusing on content
UPC
Second largest cableco and also operates DTH
platform Focus Sat
Romtelecom
Incumbent telco. Operates DTH and IPTV platforms
under Dolce brand name. Also increasingly important
player in cable sector through subsidiary NextGen
Pro Plus (Pro TV)
Leading CME-backed commercial broadcaster
Intact Media Group
Another leading broadcaster. Interests include
Antena group of TV channels
Attractive market for international players:
CME, MTG both have a strong presence.
  Major cable consolidation through creation of
Blizoo.
  DTH sector growing, with recently-launched
Vivacom TV enjoying early success.
  Confusion over transition to digital
broadcasting, with DTT licence awards
challenged by EC earlier this year. ASO put
back to 2015.
 
Blizoo
Largest cable operator, owned by Swedish
investment fund EQT V
Vivacom (BTC)
Incumbent telco. Interests include the DTH platform
Vivacom TV
NURTS
National transmission company, formerly owned by
Vivacom. Key player in DTT transition
MTG
Owns Nova Televizia group, which encompasses
national station and several thematic channels CME
Operates bTV and thematic channels
Market with enormous potential, undergoing
a huge transition.
  DTT set to launch this autumn following
recent controversial digital channel awards.
  Two DTH platform failures (a record for the
region!) Two more set to launch.
  Large cable market, Volia the leading
operator.
  IPTV take-up still low but starting to grow.
 
Volia
Leading cable operator. Backers include Providence
Equity Partners Ukrtelecom
Incumbent telco, majority owned by Austria’s Epic
group since May 2011. Interests include IPTV
operation
Zeonbud
Operator of four DTT muxes. Set to launch service
this autumn
MTG
Operates the Viasat Ukraine DTH platform
Xtra TV
New DTH platform, backed by Istil Group. Launched
this autumn
Serbia Broadband (SBB) plays key role through
Total TV DTH platform. Also leading cableco
in home market.
  IPTV a huge success, especially in Croatia
(MAXtv), though also Slovenia and –
increasingly – Serbia.
  Croatia s B.net cooperating with SBB (Total
TV).
  Bosnian station OBN now backed by Liberty
Global s Chellomedia.
 
Serbia Broadband (SBB)
Backed by Mid Europa Partners (MEP). Leading
cableco and operates pan-regional Total TV
RCS&RDS
DTH platform Digi present in Serbia and Croatia
B.net
Leading cableco in Croatia. Backed by Telekom
Austria through its local subsidiary since August
2011
T-HT
Croatian incumbent telco. Operates highly successful
MAXtv IPTV platform and a second through
subsidiary Iskon
Telekom Srbija/Telekom
Slovenije
Serbian and Slovenian incumbents, each operating a
successful IPTV service
Two of the three countries (Latvia and
Estonia) have already completed transition to
digital broadcasting.
  Cable services highly developed in all three
countries, with Lithuania the largest market.
  IPTV popular, especially in Estonia and Latvia.
  DTH services in the region provided by
MTG s Viasat Broadcasting, which also has a
strong presence in the free TV sector.
 
Starman
Largest cable operator in Estonia
Elion
Leading Estonian telco. Backed by TeliaSonera
Baltkom
Largest cableco in Latvia
Lattelecom
Latvian incumbent. Operates DTT and IPTV services
TEO LT
Lithuanian incumbent. Also operates DTT and IPTV
services
Capital markets starting to free up. Result:
more M&As, with greatest activity short-term
likely in cable.
  HD now commonplace in CEE. VOD, PVR,
DOCSIS 3.0 being rolled out, 3D set to follow.
  Transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting:
completed in some markets, problems in
others.
  DTT and IPTV set to struggle in many markets
due to high cable/DTH penetration.
 
Chris Dziadul
[email protected]