Many consumers would consider changing their primary TV service to an a la carte' model to avoid paying for bundles which include channels they don't watch, according to new global research from Irdeto. The research reinforces a growing consumer trend and reveals that 42 per cent of UK consumers and 58 per cent in the US would be interested in changing their current TV service to a package where they could select the specific channels and content that they wanted to watch.
Cost is clearly the main global driver of this willingness to change, with respondents who would consider this kind of package in the UK (77 per cent) and the US (75 per cent) mainly motivated by not wanting to pay for bundled channels they don't watch. While it's clear that many may not realise that the cost of creating an a la carte experience could actually be equal to or greater than current pay TV bundles, it is expected that the desire for hyper-personalisation and choice will still fuel the a la carte trend worldwide.
There are a number of consumers, however, who wouldn't consider shifting to an a la carte TV service model. This is largely because they like the variety of content offered in more traditional packages particularly in the UK. In all countries surveyed, the most popular reason for not wanting to switch is that consumers like having lots of channels to choose from. Consumers in the UK were less likely to consider switching, which could be because they are happy with the free TV offering they have under the license fee.
This research shows an increasing demand from consumers for content on their terms. Operators must take this into consideration and ensure that they continue to evolve their offerings accordingly to remain competitive in the market, said Richard Scott (pictured), senior vice president, sales and marketing, Irdeto. The drive towards a la carte can be seen across the industry, with new services looking to cater to that consumer. In addition to offering a compelling multi-screen experience, operators must also price themselves correctly to avoid losing consumers who realise that a la carte services can become quite expensive when added together.
While many consumers would be willing to switch their current TV service for an a la carte service, 25 per cent in the UK would not be willing to pay for such a service in contrast to just 11 per cent in the US. Among the most frequently cited monthly payment limits that consumers would be willing to spend on a la carte services were £20 (19 per cent) and $30 (31 per cent). However, 17 per cent of US respondents would pay up to $75 per month.
HD streaming is seen by many as a luxury rather than a necessity. When asked if they would be willing to upgrade their internet subscription and pay more to watch streamed HD content, 39 per cent of UK consumers would not, for the main reason that HD content is not an important factor for them. In contrast, price is the main inhibitor in the US (31 per cent) where the most common response is that consumers would not be willing to spend any more money to upgrade.
Cable and satellite subscriptions are still most popular for paid content: 67 per cent of US respondents pay for the majority of their TV content, compared to just under half of UK respondents. Of the respondents that pay for the majority of their TV content, an overwhelming 82 per cent in the UK mainly use a monthly subscription service via a cable or satellite provider.
Consumers in the US, who pay for the majority of their TV, are more likely to use OTT as main source of content: US (14 per cent) see a greater use of mainly OTT services like Netflix and Amazon Prime compared to just 9 per cent in the UK. Streaming devices or set-top boxes from telecoms providers are much more common in Singapore, with 44 per cent of those who pay for TV content viewing the majority of it through these devices. This compares to 16 per cent and under in the other markets.
The research was commissioned by Irdeto and conducted online by YouGov among representative samples in each market, with over 5,000 adults in total taking part.
www.irdeto.com
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Many consumers would consider changing their primary TV service to an a la carte' model to avoid paying for bundles which include channels they don't watch, according to new global research from Irdeto. The research reinforces a growing consumer trend and reveals that 42 per cent of UK consumers and 58 per cent in the US would be interested in changing their current TV service to a package where they could select the specific channels and content that they wanted to watch.
