Cable operators struggled through a tough quarter of broadband subscriber growth in Q2, with Comcast reporting flat growth (negative on the residential side), Charter sliding into the negative, and Altice reporting its fourth consecutive quarter of losses. All three cable operators attributed some of their struggles to the same issues: low move activity combined with …
The FCC plans to unveil its long-awaited new and improved National Broadband Map sometime later this year, but in the meantime telecom providers and other interested parties can consult a new mapping option developed by Microsoft. Impact: It’s well known that the FCC’s broadband map has historically lacked accuracy on broadband availability because it depends …
Microsoft Seeks to Fill in the Gaps with New Broadband Mapping Tool Read More »
It seems like every day there’s a new headline proclaiming good news or bad news for low earth orbit satellite Internet provider Starlink, part of the SpaceX family of companies. Impact: The most recent evidence of that comes from a recent Ookla report using Q1 data from its Speedtest platform. On one hand, Starlink’s median …
Starlink Faces Headwinds — and Tailwinds, Depending on the Source Read More »
Ziply Fiber has been busily expanding its fiber infrastructure since it was formed out of WaveDivision Capital’s acquisition of its four-state Pacific Northwest footprint from Frontier Communications in May 2020. Impact: For the most part, Ziply’s fiber deployments have been all organic, with the company announcing a year ago that it would spend $500 million …
Ziply Fiber Acquisition Will Help Expansion Effort Read More »
Although the bulk of the federal broadband funding provided for in last year’s infrastructure legislation won’t be available until the FCC completes its overhaul of the country’s broadband maps later this year, the Biden Administration opened up the application process in May as part of its “Internet for All” initiative. Impact: The administration wants states, …
Federal Broadband Funding Train Starts Rolling Down the Track Read More »
On Comcast’s Q1 earnings call, company executives revealed more detail about a plan to grow the cable provider’s footprint by at least 800K new broadband passings in 2022. Impact: The strategy focuses on edge-out opportunities — areas adjacent to Comcast’s existing footprint — as a way to combat an ongoing slowdown in broadband subscriber growth. …
Comcast Details Edge-Out Strategy for Broadband Growth Read More »
Despite an accelerated buildout schedule and subscriber gains on the fiber side, Altice USA’s overall broadband subscriber numbers trended negative again in the first quarter. Impact: Altice added 145,700 new fiber passings in Q1, which pushed its total fiber locations past the 1.3 million mark. Edge-out locations also grew, by 42,000, and Altice reported adding …
Altice Doubles Down on Fiber as Broadband Losses Mount Read More »
Although CEO John Stankey reported during the Q1 earnings call that fiber makes up nearly half of AT&T’s consumer broadband revenue, gains in fiber were not enough to offset the losses from non-fiber broadband and legacy DSL service. Impact: AT&T added 289,000 fiber Internet customers in the first quarter, elevating its fiber subscriber count to …
AT&T Fiber Additions Can’t Overcome Other Broadband Losses Read More »
New analysis from Wall Street research group MoffettNathanson says AT&T still faces challenges now that the WarnerMedia spin-off to Discovery has finally closed. Impact: AT&T has said all along that it would shift its focus back to its core telecom business after it made deals last year to divest DirecTV and WarnerMedia. Now that both …
AT&T Still Faces Challenges After WarnerMedia Sale Read More »
Wireless carriers pushing for more mid-band spectrum to use for 5G have gotten their wish, as the Federal Communications Commission has expedited its plans to auction off the remainder of 2.5 GHz spectrum. Impact: If that spectrum band sounds familiar, it’s probably because that’s the band T-Mobile acquired in its merger with Sprint and has …
FCC Sets Date and Rules for Next Mid-band Spectrum Auction Read More »
