Preliminary results from the IMS Research study IPTV: A Global Market Analysis – 2011 Edition, reveal that the IPTV subscriber base in the emerging BRIC markets exceeds 8 million subscribers for 2010, with China dominating the figure. A CAGR of 13% for BRIC is expected through the forecast period, which ends in 2015.

John Kendall, IMS Research Market Analyst and author of the study states, “Infrastructure and broadband penetration are the big hurdles to IPTV adoption in emerging markets. A good example is a country like Russia, with low broadband penetration and a highly segmented market, where IPTV growth has been rapid but still accounting for less than 1% of all TV households, remaining at 374,000 subscribers. It will continue growing at a steady pace." Over the forecast period, IMS Research forecasts that Russian IPTV subscribers will experience continued growth, but still remain under the million subscriber milestone. Kendall continues, “Most of the IPTV uptake will naturally remain around densely populated urban centers, where existing infrastructure can handle the bandwidth necessary for IPTV, and new build-outs will be focused.”

The analysis in this new study indicates similar restrictions to IPTV growth in other emerging market areas, including Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The Fourth Edition IPTV report includes comprehensive analysis for 68 countries and profiles more than 200 operators. The report also includes a bandwidth forecast, which focuses on the amount of bandwidth utilized by IPTV households, signal delivery methods (xDSL, FTTH, & DOCSIS), set-top box shipments and revenues, and an examination of the IPTV Hospitality market. The report is set for publication January 31, 2011.