Internet TV set to overtake free UK catch up services this Christmas', says Paywizard survey
39% of UK consumers expected to pay for Internet TV services this Christmas
Currently 38% of UK consumers use popular free streaming services like BBC iPlayer, All 4 and ITV Player
Worldwide, almost half of Internet TV subscribers plan to cancel within 6 months
London, 14 December 2015 - Internet TV is set for a Christmas boost in the UK with 39% of consumers planning to use paid Internet TV services during the festive season. 19% of the UK are already using subscription TV services like Amazon Prime, Netflix and NOW TV, while an additional 20% intend to sign up to these services for Christmas. These additional signups may tip the balance of UK consumers favouring paid streaming services over free ones such as BBC iPlayer, All 4 and ITV Player, which 38% of consumers currently use. This is according to a new Research Now study, commissioned by Paywizard, the expert in subscriber management for pay-TV.
Great news for providers - OTT TV will be a big hit for consumers this Christmas
However, despite rapidly growing interest in paid services, the survey shows that the UK's Internet TV subscribers are not intending to stick around, with 1 in 5 planning to end subscriptions in January and half (49%) of all subscribers planning to leave within 6 months. The survey also found that free catch-up TV is still popular with UK audiences, who are four times more likely than Germans or Americans to enjoy services like BBC iPlayer, ITVplayer and others.
These findings are part of a global study highlighting that Internet TV services will be a big hit with consumers around the world this Christmas, with 52% of viewers planning to use an online TV service during the festive season. The study, which surveyed consumers in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, the UK and US, analysed how consumers plan on watching TV this Christmas, which TV services they prefer and which devices they plan to use.
The UK has the highest consumption of free catch up services like iPlayer and All 4 at 38% - more than double the survey's global average of 18%
Mobile viewing is on the rise, with 40% of UK consumers planning to watch TV over Christmas via a laptop, tablet or mobile
DVDs are still alive with 29% planning to watch a DVD or box set, with 18-24 females the biggest group
The UK had the lowest usage of free online streaming services for Christmas viewing at 11% - 57% less than the survey average.
The traditional TV still stands strong as the device of choice for watching TV over Christmas
The UK audience is well served with TV choices, ranging from traditional broadcasters and pay-TV providers to newer, high quality on-demand services. Yet the appetite for more content is only getting bigger, giving international services like Netflix and home-grown rivals like NOW TV a foothold in the market that may ultimately disrupt the status quo, said Bhavesh Vaghela, Chief Marketing Officer at Paywizard. Our survey highlights that people are willing to pay to get what they want, but only if services can prove that their deal is worth it. For the industry, winning new customers may not necessarily mean that they're there to stay, and this study shows why areas like brilliant service quality and support are essential parts of the consumer experience.
For the full UK infographic please download here. The complete Paywizard study, entitled OTT isn't just for Christmas', is available to download here.
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Internet TV set to overtake free UK catch up services this Christmas', says Paywizard survey 
