Top pay-TV operators added 101,000 subs in Q4, Strategy Analytics says

The top pay-TV operators gained 101,000 video customers in the fourth quarter, partially offsetting losses in Q2 and Q3, according to newly published research from Strategy Analytics.

The new data is in line with a report released last week by Leichtman Research Group, which found that the top 13 U.S. operators lost 125,000 customers for the year.

Strategy Analytics' new report covers the top 19 operators, which collectively control 96.1 million customers and 95 percent of the U.S. market.

The numbers match Leichtman's pretty closely. Cable operators lost 195,000 video subs in Q4 and about 1.18 million for the year, a marked declined from the nearly 1.7 million lost in 2013.

IPTV operators continue to drive the pay-TV market, with Verizon FiOS (NYSE: VZ) adding 387,000 video subs in 2014 and AT&T U-verse (NYSE: T) adding 478,000.

What little growth there was to be had in satellite all belonged to DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV), with the sector ticking up by only 20,000 customers.

"Cord cutting remains a threat, and there are new options for consumers that have deployed during the first quarter of 2015, specifically the Sling TV service from Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH)," said Jason Blackwell, director of service-provider strategies for Strategy Analytics. "We also expect to see more stand-alone services from HBO, Showtime and others, so 2015 will be challenging for the traditional pay TV vendors."

For more:
- read this Strategy Analytics report (subscription required)

Related links:
Pay-TV sub losses accelerated to 125K in 2014, Leichtman says
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Cablevision loses 34K video subs in Q4, revenue up 3%
Comcast misses Q4 forecasts, gains only 6K video subs