Durham, NH — May 18, 2022 — Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) found that the largest cable and wireline phone providers and fixed wireless services in the U.S. – representing about 96% of the market – acquired about 1,065,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in 1Q 2022, compared to a pro forma gain of about 1,120,000 subscribers in 1Q 2021.
These top broadband providers account for about 109.3 million subscribers, with top cable companies having about 75.6 million broadband subscribers, top wireline phone companies having about 32.3 million subscribers, and top fixed wireless services having about 1.4 million subscribers.
Findings for the quarter include:
- Overall, broadband additions in 1Q 2022 were 95% of those in 1Q 2021
- The top cable companies added about 480,000 subscribers in 1Q 2022 – 52% of the net additions for the top cable companies in 1Q 2021
- The top wireline phone companies added about 50,000 total broadband subscribers in 1Q 2022 – compared to about 80,000 net adds in 1Q 2021
- Wireline Telcos had about 480,000 net adds via fiber in 1Q 2022, and about 430,000 non-fiber net losses
- Fixed wireless/5G home Internet services from T-Mobile and Verizon added about 530,000 subscribers in 1Q 2022 – compared to 110,000 net adds in 1Q 2021
“Top broadband providers added over one million subscribers in 1Q 2022, similar to last year’s first quarter, but the distribution of net broadband additions differed from a year ago,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “Fixed wireless services accounted for half of the net broadband adds in 1Q 2022, compared to about 10% of the net adds in 1Q 2021.”
| Broadband Providers | Subscribers at end of 1Q 2022 | Net Adds in 1Q 2022 |
| Cable Companies | ||
| Comcast | 32,163,000 | 262,000 |
| Charter | 30,274,000 | 185,000 |
| Cox* | 5,560,000 | 30,000 |
| Altice** | 4,373,200 | (13,000) |
| Mediacom* | 1,468,000 | 5,000 |
| Cable One** | 1,057,000 | 11,000 |
| Breezeline** | 719,608 | 2,830 |
| Total Top Cable | 75,614,808 | 482,830 |
| Wireline Phone Companies | ||
| AT&T | 15,533,000 | 29,000 |
| Verizon | 7,400,000 | 35,000 |
| Lumen | 4,470,000 | (49,000) |
| Frontier | 2,819,000 | 20,000 |
| Windstream | 1,176,000 | 11,300 |
| TDS^ | 495,200 | 4,900 |
| Consolidated | 380,150 | (850) |
| Total Top Wireline Phone | 32,273,350 | 50,350 |
| Fixed Wireless Services | ||
| T-Mobile | 984,000 | 338,000 |
| Verizon | 433,000 | 194,000 |
| Total Top Fixed Wireless | 1,417,000 | 532,000 |
| Total Top Broadband | 109,305,158 | 1,065,180 |
* LRG estimate
** Includes LRG estimate of pro forma net adds
^ TDS now only reports residential subscribers, includes 290,600 wireline subscribers and 204,600 cable subscribers
Company subscriber counts may not solely represent residential households – about 6% of the total are non-residential
Top broadband providers represent approximately 96% of all subscribers
Fixed wireless services were added to the list of top providers this quarter, replacing a cable company and a wireline phone company
Net additions reflect pro forma results from system sales and acquisitions, reporting adjustments, and the addition of new providers to the list – therefore, comparing totals in this release to prior releases will not produce accurate findings
About Leichtman Research Group, Inc.
Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) specializes in research and analysis on broadband, media and entertainment industries. LRG combines ongoing consumer surveys with industry tracking and analysis, to provide companies with a richer understanding of current market conditions, and the potential impact and adoption of new products and services. For more information about LRG, please call (603) 397-5400 or visit www.LeichtmanResearch.com.
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