IPTV penetration in France equals terrestrial TV for first time

Penetration of IPTV in France equaled that of terrestrial TV for the first time in the fourth quarter of last year, according to statistics provided by media regulator the CSA.

IPTV and terrestrial TV were both present in 55% of French homes at the end of Q4. The terrestrial total includes a smaller number common antenna systems with cable providing the end-user connection, with 50.8% using digital-terrestrial TV directly. The IPTV total includes cable, xDSL and fibre reception.

The CSA said that IPTV was on the way to become the main mode of receiving TV for all TVs in French homes, a status it already enjoys for the principal TV in the home, with 52.2% using IPTV for their main set.

About a third of French homes possess use more than one form of TV reception. Some 32.7% use IPTV alone, while 12.6% use DTT alone and 11.4% use satellite alone. A total of 19.1% use both digital-terrestrial and IPTV, and 6.1% use DTT and satellite. Some 5.4% use IPTV and satellite, and 2.6% use three modes of reception.

The CSA said that TVs remain the main screen for video consumption in French homes, with a penetration rate of 94%. Some 86% of homes have a computer, while smartphones have a penetration rate of 78% among those aged 15 and over. Some 48% of homes are equipped with tablets. .

Some 65% of French homes have a TV that can be connected to the internet, with the majority connected, according to the CSA. About a quarter of these are connected directly, with 64% being connected by a box controlled by an ISP. Just over 9% of connected TVs are hooked up to a third-party box, and 28% are connected via a game console.

While the TV remains present in the vast majority of homes, some 54.5% of those without a TV set are single-person households, 49.4% have a head of household in the top French socio-economic category, CSP+, and 62.1% have a head of household aged under 50. Some 56.7% of homes without a TV are in major urban centres.