Six million to subscribe to IPTV service in China by 2010, says researcher

China’s IPTV market will experience gradual, solid growth from 2006 to 2010, according to high-tech market research firm In-Stat.

The industry environment for IPTV has gotten better, but the outlook is still not completely positive, according to In-Stat.

Two more IPTV licenses have been issued in China, and license holders have achieved some progress with more local telcos. However, the government agency SARFT maintains tight control over content supervision and is using government policies to level the competition between IPTV and digital cable TV.

In-Stat projects China’s IPTV subscriber base will reach 6.3 million by 2010, up from 240,000 in 2005. Annual subscription revenue will grow rapidly to $888 million by 2010.

Telcos have conducted several trials in different areas around China and have begun the progress of IPTV commercialization in both Shanghai and Haerbin in the Heilongjiang Province.

For more information, visit: www.in-stat.com.