Although most of us thought streaming was largely responsible for the decline of pay TV, recent data suggests something more unsettling for the industry: the hardest blow came from within. The sustained price increase of the service appears to have been the final straw in a market that was already showing signs of strain.
At the close of 2025, pay TV in Mexico registered one of its worst periods. The decline not only accelerated, but also made it clear that the problem goes beyond digital competition.
Pay TV in Mexico ended 2025 with just 15.1 million subscriptions, representing a 9.3% annual drop, the steepest in recent years, according to data from The CIU. This decline becomes even more significant when compared to the 19.8 million registered in 2020, implying a loss of nearly five million users in just five years.
The contraction is not only sustained, but also widespread among operators. Virtually all players in the market, both cable and satellite providers, are losing subscribers.
According to Radamés Camargo, analysis manager at The CIU, only a few companies have managed to partially stem the decline through bundling strategies that integrate services such as internet or streaming platforms, although without reversing the trend.
Behind this contraction are multiple factors, but the most significant is cost. 37% of users who canceled their service did so because of high prices, making it the main trigger for disconnection in the country.
This figure not only reflects an accessibility problem, but also reveals a growing perception that the service is no longer worth the price.
This phenomenon becomes even more evident when considering that prices have risen considerably in recent years.
In 2023, the most economical package was around 239 pesos; by 2026, basic plans were already priced between 250 and 450 pesos per month. In the most comprehensive packages, which include internet and streaming, the cost can range from 600 to 950 pesos, and even exceed 1,200 pesos for premium versions. Although part of this increase is due to inflation adjustments, the cumulative effect continues to put a strain on household budgets.
In a context of economic pressure, where users must choose which subscriptions they can afford, more and more households are questioning whether it’s really worth maintaining this service.
Furthermore, the problem isn’t just the cost, but what you get in return. 27% of users cited a lack of connection with the programming as the reason for canceling, confirming a decline in the service’s value proposition, according to The CIU.
It’s true that streaming has gained ground rapidly. By the end of 2024, video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms in Mexico had reached 14.3 million subscriptions, representing an annual growth of 6.3%, according to The CIU.
By 2025, this trend continued, while pay TV further declined. But even streaming is beginning to show signs of adjustment: by the end of 2025, 14% of users had canceled at least one subscription in the previous six months, demonstrating greater caution in digital consumption.
However, pay TV faces a more complex scenario. While digital platforms offer flexible plans and scalable prices, traditional television maintains rigid structures based on packages and contracts. This lack of adaptation has caused the service to lose relevance in the face of new consumption patterns.
Likewise, the 2024 National Survey of Audiovisual Content Consumption (ENCCA) shows a clear shift in audience habits.
Currently, 55% of Mexicans already consume audiovisual content online, confirming that digital access has ceased to be an alternative and has become the primary entertainment channel. This consumption is not only more frequent, but also more prolonged, and occurs mainly on mobile devices.
On the other hand, time spent watching traditional television continues to decline. Even among those who still watch it, the preference is shifting towards free-to-air channels or specific content, such as news programs or live events, reflecting a loss of relevance for the linear model.
Streaming, in that sense, did not destroy pay TV. Rather, it capitalized on a market already weakened by an inflexible and increasingly expensive offering.
The underlying problem is structural. Pay television was built on a linear model that is increasingly incompatible with user expectations. Closed packages, mandatory contracts, and the inability to personalize content clash with the current logic of digital entertainment.
According to The CIU, 46% of users have canceled their pay TV subscription, while 54% have never subscribed to the service. Even more revealing is that only 9.6% would consider paying for it again, pointing to a problem not only of retention but also of relevance.
At the same time, the industry has tried to respond with more comprehensive packages that integrate internet or streaming platforms. Companies like Izzi, Totalplay, and Megacable have opted to become content aggregators rather than simply television providers.
However, these strategies come at a time when consumers have already redefined their priorities and are increasingly selective about the content they consume. Paying for internet is now an essential expense; Paying for cable or multiple platforms is optional.
The transformation of the sector seems inevitable. The question is no longer whether cable can compete, but whether it can reinvent itself before becoming irrelevant.
Source: xataka
