Cable and telcos added 890k net broadband subscribers in 2Q

The U.S. market now has more than 107.4 million broadband subscribers, an increase from 102.7 million subscribers from a year ago. According to Leichtman Research Group, the largest cable and wireline providers in the U.S. acquired about 890,000 net additional broadband internet customers in the second quarter, which is a decrease from the pro forma gain of about 1,260,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2020.

Cable still has the majority of broadband customers with about 74.7 million subscribers. Cablecos added about 840,000 customers in the second quarter.

Telcos have about 32.7 million broadband customers nationwide and added about 50,000 broadband customers in the second quarter, compared with a net loss of about 140,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2020.

Bruce Leightman, president and principal analyst for Leightman Research Group, said that the top broadband providers have added about 8 million subscribers over the past two years. In 2020 they added about 4.33 million net adds and in 2019 they added about 3.67 million net adds.

Comcast is still the largest provider of broadband services with 31.3 million broadband subscribers as of the end of the second quarter. The company had 354,000 net broadband adds in the second quarter.

But Charter trails Comcast in a close second place with 29.6 million broadband customers at the end of the second quarter. The company added 400,000 net broadband additions in the quarter.

On the wireline side, AT&T leads with 15.48 million broadband customers at the end of second quarter. The company added 46,000 net adds on the second quarter. Verizon follows with 7.26 million broadband subscribers in the quarter. Verizon added 70,000 net adds in the second quarter.