Could mobile phones ensure Comcast and Spectrum’s future as profitable companies? The latest reports from MoffettNathanson show an increase in mobile lines compared to cable subscription numbers.
In the first quarter of 2023, cable providers added approximately 1.05 million new mobile lines, bringing the total number to just shy of 12 million members. The report states “On a net basis, the US cable industry accounted for nearly 75 percent of total industry phone net additions in Q1 2023.”
When looking at Comcast and Spectrum’s numbers, there’s a significant increase in mobile lines for the first quarter. Comcast increased its mobile member base by 355,000 newbies. Spectrum had almost double the number of new members, adding 686,000 mobile lines. Both companies separately beat out Altice USA who only gained 7,600 new mobile lines.
U.S. cable is making some strides in an attempt to compete with the postpaid phone providers, though Craig Moffett says in his report that its current 5 percent hold on the market is “little more than a rounding error in the US wireless industry.”
He went on to state that “Cable’s share of gross additions is still accelerating. Rapidly. Cable’s high and rising share of gross additions creates an obvious problem for the incumbent operators. Cable is overcrowding the growth available to the Big Three.”
The Big Three are (for now) T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, all of which experienced declines in memberships to roughly half of the previous year’s reports. This report estimates that 17 percent of postpaid users are signing up with cable providers.
An increase in new mobile lines via Comcast and Spectrum still keeps the companies in the running to compete with other wireless providers. Combined with other U.S. cable providers, this niche of the market beat out DISH Network as one of the top four U.S. carriers. That puts Comcast and Spectrum in a decent spot below T-Mobile, which has really been stepping up its services to gain the loyalty of millions of new subscribers.
Comcast and Spectrum are offering customers basic wireless services for a cheaper cost than other wireless network providers and driving the sale home with additional promotions, ones that have other providers rolling out specials as well as new pricing tiers to attract new members.