DALLAS—Nearly half of pay-TV subscribers are interested in using their TV to control smart home control and security features, according to a new survey from Parks Associates.
In its new report, Video Services: Shifting Demand, which surveyed approximately 8,000 U.S. households, 46% of pay-TV subscribers find emerging home control and interactive features, provided through their TV service, “appealing or very appealing.”
"This data highlights a significant interest in smart home technology integration within the pay-TV market," said Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates. "The home ecosystems continue to overlap, creating new opportunities to expand control and enhance the user experience. Consumers expect and want more interconnected and technologically advanced home entertainment systems."
"Video Services: Shifting Demand" details shifting consumer preferences, with historical trending data on adoption, satisfaction, and churn for pay-TV and streaming services. It also details top causes of service churn and consumer receptivity to new service features and retention incentives.
The most popular feature—which garnered 66% support among subscribers—is the ability to stream content from an online video service via a pay-TV service, with 49% ranking it "very appealing." This type of bundled offering would enhance the value of pay-TV services by simplifying the navigation process for its users, Parks said.
Most major pay-TV providers like Comcast's Xfinity Home and Cox's Homelife Smart Home offer home security services but not via their pay-TV services. Others, like Charter, for example, abandoned its smart home service several years ago, opting instead to partner with services like Ring and Abode.
Many television manufacturers, such as Samsung and Roku, offer compatibility with smart home devices, but having this feature through the pay-TV service can offer a new level of convenience for the household, Parks said, adding that such appeal is high particularly among households with a security service—65% find home control through their pay-TV service appealing.
"The interest in connected home services opens up new markets and opportunities for partnerships between traditional pay-TV providers, tech companies, and home automation system manufacturers," Parks said. "These collaborations will lead to innovative service bundles, combining entertainment, information, and home management in new and valuable ways."
After smart home management, the remaining most popular enhanced features for pay-TV services include cloud gaming, T-Commerce, interactive polls, and sports betting.
