OTT service, mobile connection bundles will make up half of all online viewers by 2023: Report

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Online video services provided in bundle with mobile and broadband connection are now becoming an attractive service among Indians.

A Mint report citing Ficci EY media and entertainment industry report stated that the people using such bundles will make up nearly half or 399 million of all online video viewers by 2023 increasing from 284 million now.

As of 2020, India had 803 million viewers of online videos including streaming services and videos on free platforms like YouTube.

The report listed five categories of online video viewers in India: Digital-only (who consume content on digital platforms and do not access television), tactical digital (who consume pay TV and at least one paid streaming service), bundled digital (who consume pay-TV and generally only telco-bundled content), mass consumers (who consume pay-TV and occasionally consume some streaming content, usually free) and free consumers who do not pay for content at all.

Reportedly, video streaming services are now looking to partner with telecom companies that have begun to offer premium OTT service bundles and broadband packages to build on the family audience base.

The report further said that while the fastest-growing segment will be the bundled digital consumer audience, premium consumers that include digital-only and tactical digital will grow over 100 million by 2023. The free consumer base is also expected to grow as nearly 50 million homes lack access to television.