According to the Leichtman Research Group, the largest U.S. cable and telephone providers - representing about 96% of the market - acquired about 2.5 million net additional broadband Internet subscribers in 2019, compared to a similar pro forma gain of about 2.5 million subscribers in 2018.
The top broadband providers now account for about 101.2 million subscribers, with top cable companies having 68 million broadband subscribers and top wireline phone companies having 33.2 million subscribers.
Among the findings:
- Overall, broadband additions in 2019 were about 100% of those in 2018.
- The top cable companies added about 3,145,000 subscribers in 2019, compared to about 2,925,000 net adds in 2018. Comcast had more net adds in 2019 than in any year since 2007.
- The top wireline phone companies lost about 620,000 subscribers in 2019, compared to a net loss of about 410,000 subscribers in 2018. Telcos had more net losses in 2019 than in any prior year.
- At the end of 2019, cable had a 67% market share vs. 33% for telcos. Cable's broadband market share is at the highest level since 3Q 2001.
"The top cable and telco broadband providers in the U.S. cumulatively added 2.5 million subscribers in 2019, and now account for 101.2 million subscribers," said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for LRG. "The top broadband providers added 28.4 million net broadband subscribers over the past decade, with cable companies accounting for 97% of the net broadband additions in the 2010s."