Triple play services -- consisting of bundled voice, data and television offerings -- could account for 1.5 million subscribers in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya by 2017.

This is according to research firm Frost & Sullivan, which says in a report that the triple play services market in sub-Saharan Africa is still in its introductory stage, with just a handful of providers offering bundles.

Frost & Sullivan says that Kenya is currently the only country in the region with fully-fledged triple play services offering.

But technology developments in the region are steering providers toward bundled service offerings, says the research company.

“Faster Internet speeds are allowing service providers to offer IP-based communication services,” noted Frost & Sullivan’s ICT industry analyst Ishe Zingoni in a statement.

“The recent arrival of undersea cables and improvements in networks in the region has led to significant increases in bandwidth availability and notable reductions in broadband prices, thus driving the double-digit growth rates seen in the Internet market over the past three years.

“Service providers are already leveraging these trends to launch triple play services in sub-Saharan Africa,” added Zingoni.

The research further adds that demand for more cost-effective service provision is motivating a ‘shift’ towards bundled services, which “offer cost-conscious customers more for less.”

“Technology convergence is enabling services to cross-over between broadcasters and telecommunication operators,” remarked Zingoni.

Moreover, smartphones, tablets, television sets, and computers are increasingly coming equipped with triple play service capabilities, says Frost & Sullivan. Such devices are raising end-user expectations about service providers, delivering the complete suite of services on capable devices, the research company adds.

Obstacles to the takeup of triple play services in Africa, though, remain. Challenges include limited infrastructure and regulatory inefficiencies that continually threaten the pace of market development, says Frost & Sullivan.