Over Half of U.S. Broadband Households Subscribe to an OTT Video Service

DALLAS — Fifty-seven percent of consumers in U.S. broadband households subscribe to an OTT (over-the-top) video service, such as Netflix or Hulu Plus, according to recent access and entertainment research from Parks Associates, a market research and consulting company specializing in emerging technologies. The research firm reports the average U.S. broadband household spends $9 per month on Internet video, up from $7 in 2012.

"The number of hours watching video content continues to rise, exceeding 36 hours per week in 2014, with Internet video accounting for 36 percent of that time, or approximately 3.4 hours a week," said Brett Sappington, director of research, Parks Associates. "Rather than cannibalizing the consumption of broadcast, pay-TV, and packaged media content, Internet video is increasing overall consumption levels for video."

Data highlights from Parks Associates include:

• Nearly 50 million streaming media players will be sold worldwide in 2017.


• Homes with children spend on average 90 percent more on OTT services and digital video than homes with no children.


• More than 75 percent of streaming media player owners have an OTT subscription.