Portugal loses pay-TV subs for first time since 2006
June 16, 2025
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
At the end of March 2025, there were 4.7 million pay-TV subscribers in Portugal – 53,000 more than in the same quarter of the previous year, but 2,000 fewer than in the preceding quarter (-0.1 per cent).
According to the National Communications Authority (Anacom), Q1 marked an historic moment for the country’s pay-TV market, as the growing trend in the number of subscribers observed since 2006 has ended.
The residential segment accounted for 88.5 per cent of total pay-TV subscribers, with the vast majority of subscribers opting for this service as part of a package.
Fibre optics (FTTH/B), with around 3.1 million subscribers, accounted for more than two-thirds (67.4 per cent) of total subscribers, followed by cable TV (25 per cent), satellite TV – DTH (6.3 per cent) and ADSL (1.3 per cent).
FTTH/B was the only technology to see an increase in subscribers during the quarter, adding 166,000 subscribers year-on-year due to both the acquisition of new customers and the migration of existing customers from other technologies. However, the 5.6 per cent growth rate is the lowest annual increase since the introduction of FTTH/B in 2007, further supporting the indication of market maturation.
Meo (Altice Portugal) continues as market leader with 41.9 per cent of total subscribers, followed by Nos (35.9 per cent), Vodafone Portugal (19.4 per cent), and Digi/Nowo (2.7 per cent). Meo and Vodafone added the most subscribers compared to the same quarter of the previous year, with their shares increasing by 0.3 and 0.2 percentage points, respectively. Nos’ share, conversely, decreased by 0.4 per cent.
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