CSG International Survey Challenges Market Thinking on Pay TV Versus Over-The-Top Digital Content Pr

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CSG International Survey Challenges Market Thinking on Pay TV Versus Over-The-Top Digital Content Providers

Five Key Factors Influence Which Provider a Consumer Will Choose

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CSG Systems International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGS), a global provider of software- and services-based business support solutions that help clients generate revenue and maximize customer relationships, today announced the findings of a comprehensive survey that reveal key consumer decision points for choosing a digital content provider.


Through an independent survey of 1,200 U.S. consumers age 18-65, CSG challenged the prevalent notion that Over-The-Top (OTT) content providers are preferred significantly over broadband Pay TV operators when consumers purchase digital movies and TV series episodes.

In fact, survey results show that consumers are just as interested in purchasing digital content from their Pay TV provider as they are from an OTT vendor. For example:

  • A nearly equal number of consumers are willing to buy content from either an OTT provider or their Pay TV provider.

    • 71% of consumers are willing to buy content from OTT providers, while 70% are just as willing to buy from their Pay TV provider.

  • Nearly 71% of respondents want digital content charges on their Pay TV providers' monthly bill.In the competition for market share, this gives Pay TV providers a significant opportunity to leverage an easy, convenient way of paying for digital content through their existing billing relationship with the consumer.

  • The use of multiple devices to purchase and watch content is the new norm. While the majority of video content is still purchased in the household rather than over smart phones, consumers cite a growing number of devices in the home. 79% of consumers use their personal computer to order digital content, while 39% also use tablets and 36% use internet-connected televisions. Smart phones ranked lowest of all devices although ownership is highest. The ability of any provider to support seamless multi-screen content purchases and delivery is a must-do to attract the digital content consumer.

"With so much publicity around the evolution of digital content, it's easy to assume that Over-the-Top newcomers are winning the battle to attract consumers and revenues from Pay TV providers, but that is not necessarily true," said Kent Steffen, President of Content Direct at CSG International. "Consumers are less focused on the type of provider and are making decisions based on the experience of the digital content purchase around factors such as cost, quality and ease of use."

When consumers make content purchasing decisions, five key factors guide their decision-making:

  • Priority on Price - More than 35% of all consumers indicated that price of content is the single largest influencer on the decision to purchase content. Price sensitivity grows as the age of the consumer decreases. For example, more than 40% of 18-24 year olds cited price as the single largest influence on their likelihood to make a content purchase.

  • An Easy Experience - Ease of Use ranked as the second most influential factor, with more than 20% choosing this factor as most important. This becomes a more weighted factor for consumers 45 and older, with 48% ranking ease of use across purchase and consumption of content including search, find, purchase and play with high importance.

  • Quality Across Devices - Viewing quality is important, particularly to those consumers who spend the most on content and use it across more devices. 20% of consumers age 25-34 ranked viewing quality as an influence on their buying decision.

  • Multi-Screen Access - The ability to access content on multiple devices is also critical, particularly among younger consumers age 25-34 who are the most likely age group to own multiple devices. Interestingly, while 64% of respondents own a smart phone, more than 41.5% said they would not purchase digital content from their mobile provider.

  • Age Matters - The type of content provider has the least influence on buying behavior, with nearly 1/3 of all respondents citing the type of provider as least important. With less than 20% of consumers under 35 citing Pay TV providers as digital content leaders, there is an opportunity for Pay TV providers to focus on the individual's interest, usage and preferences across devices to increase the weight of the provider type in content buying decisions in the younger demographic.

"We believe these findings point to an opportunity for the Pay TV provider to personalize the content buying and delivery experience, reaching each member of a household with content offers that appeal to their preferences," Steffen said. "Gone are the days of thinking of consumers through the single lens of the primary account holder - the content revolution demands considering the preferences of all individuals and their devices within a household to ultimately create a more loyal and satisfied customer."

To learn more about the survey, its methodology, results and impacts to U.S.-based Pay TV providers, please visit "Are U.S. Pay TV Providers Delivering the Digital Content Experience Consumers Want?" to download the full copy of the report or request a meeting with CSG during The Cable Show 2013, June 10-12 in Washington, D.C. where survey experts will be on hand to discuss results.

About CSG International

CSG Systems International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSGS) is a market-leading business support solutions and services company serving the majority of the top 100 global communications service providers, including leaders in fixed, mobile and next-generation networks such as AT&T, Comcast, DISH Network, France Telecom, Orange, T-Mobile, Telefonica, Time Warner Cable, Vodafone, Vivo and Verizon. With over 30 years of experience and expertise in voice, video, data and content services, CSG International offers a broad portfolio of licensed and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based products and solutions that help clients compete more effectively, improve business operations and deliver a more impactful customer experience across a variety of touch points. For more information, visit our website at www.csgi.com.



CSG International
Elise Brassell, 303-804-4962
Media and Industry Analyst Relations
Elise.Brassell@csgi.com
or
Liz Bauer, 303-804-4065
Investor Relations
Liz.bauer@csgi.com

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