FREMONT, CA – Live television piracy in North America is on the rise and ballooning in to a multi-billion dollar problem for communication service providers (CSPs), according to data from Sandvine.
Sandvine’s Global Internet Phenomena Spotlight: Subscription Television Piracy is based on data collected from multiple fixed access networks in North America and examines the mechanics, economics, and usage drivers of pirated television services. The report says that 6.5% of households in North America are accessing pirated live television services each month, an adoption rate that may cost CSPs over $4 billion in revenue this year.
Premium television, live sports, news, and international content are the main drivers of pirate television usage, the report continues. In addition, many pirate television configurations stream 24/7, whether users are watching or not, resulting in many users generating over 1TB of “phantom bandwidth” across their network each month.
“Continued adoption of pirate video and television streaming services could lead to increased cord-cutting and create ‘cord-nevers,' people who never sign-up for a standard TV subscription. This will significantly impact CSPs’ revenue and profitability, undermining the business models that keep them operating”, said Sandvine CEO Lyn Cantor, in the news release. “The active network intelligence that Sandvine provides can help CSPs monitor the threat that pirate television services pose, while also supporting law enforcement and regulatory efforts aimed at preventing the proliferation of illegal streaming services.”
