MONTEREY, Calif., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The slow retreat of total multichannel video subscriptions picked up speed in the period ended March 31, according to the most recent report from SNL Kagan, an offering of S&P Global Market Intelligence. The decline came amid relatively upbeat cable performance, with the platform posting its best first-quarter in eight years.

SNL Kagan estimates the combined cable, direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) and telecommunications (telco) sectors lost 162,000 video customers during the period. The mounting loss in the quarter foreshadows mounting pressure on service providers and an accelerating annual decline. In the trailing 12 months, the combined decline fell just short of 1.2 million subscriptions, despite the uptick in occupied households.

Additional highlights from SNL Kagan's 1st-quarter U.S. Multichannel Subscriber report: 


    --  Cable operators lost 18,300 total video customers. This was the sector's
        best first quarter since 2008, when operators grew their combined video
        customer base by a combined 6,000: the last time cable closed the period
        ended March 31 in positive territory.


    --  DBS gained 166,000 subscribers, driven by DIRECTV's growth strategy
        which offset losses from DISH Network's focus on profitability and its
        Sling TV initiative.


    --  Telco losses accelerated as AT&T's shift away from U-verse gained
        momentum. Driven by U-verse losses, multichannel video subscribers
        served by the segment were down nearly 4% from its peak of 13.2 million
        mid-year 2015.


    --  Factoring in the estimated 677,000 customers for DISH Network's Sling TV
        service, arguably a subset of multichannel services, the trailing
        twelve-month decline is more than halved to just 499,000.

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SOURCE S&P Global Market Intelligence