More and more people are doing away with their cable TV subscription. A growing number of Flemings now watch programmes via the internet on streaming services like VRT Max, Netflix or Disney+.
The market leader when it comes to cable TV in Flanders Telenet, lost 18,000 cable TV subscribers during the first 3 months of this year. Meanwhile, Proximus lost 15,000 cable television customers. In recent years, Telenet and Proximus together have lost several hundred thousand cable TV customers.
People cancel their cable subscription to save money, but also because it is becoming easier and easier to watch TV via the Internet. This is thanks to smart TVs, with built-in streaming apps, or via devices such as Google Chromecast or Apple TV.
Moreover, all the major broadcasters now have a free app (VTM GO, Go Play and VRT Max) with which you can watch live TV as well as find programmes to watch on demand. The classic TV subscription, with or without a decoder is now needed if you want to watch television. A (realiable) home internet connection will surfice.
The latest annual survey of media use in Flanders by Imec and the University of Ghent shows although a growing number of Flemings are ditching their cable TV subscription, the vast majority of homes (78%) still have cable TV. However, the percentage of homes with cable TV is much lower (63%) among younger households (25- to 35-year-olds).