Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum Cable TV and broadband services, reported today that it shed significant numbers of both internet and traditional video customers during the second quarter of 2026, underscoring ongoing pressures in the competitive telecommunications landscape. The company lost 172,000 total internet customers in the three months ended June 30, 2026, a steeper decline than the 116,000 lost in the same period a year earlier. At the same time, video customers—primarily Spectrum’s cable television subscribers—decreased by 21,000, a marked improvement from the 80,000 decline recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
As of June 30, 2026, Charter served 29.4 million internet customers, down from approximately 29.9 million a year earlier, representing a 1.7% year-over-year drop. Video customers stood at 12.5 million, reflecting a more modest 0.8% decline, or about 107,000 fewer subscribers over the prior twelve months. Total customer relationships ended the quarter at 31.5 million, while connectivity customers (those taking internet and/or mobile) totaled 30.4 million. This comes as Cord Cutting 2.0 keeps growing, as not only are people canceling cable TV but also cable internet.
The acceleration in internet customer losses comes amid intensifying rivalry from fixed wireless access offerings by wireless carriers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, as well as fiber deployments by various providers. Charter has responded by emphasizing the reliability of its Spectrum Internet service and accelerating network upgrades. The company is evolving its connectivity network to deliver symmetrical and multi-gigabit speeds across its footprint, with the full initiative targeted for completion in 2027. It has already launched symmetrical service in several markets. In February 2026, Spectrum introduced Invincible WiFi, a tri-band WiFi 7 router that incorporates 5G cellular backup and battery power to maintain connectivity during outages. Earlier in the year, the company also rolled out a $1,000 savings guarantee for customers switching two or more mobile lines from major wireless carriers.
Video losses, while still present, slowed substantially thanks to strategic packaging changes. Charter attributed the better performance to simplified pricing and packaging introduced previously, along with the inclusion of programmers’ streaming applications in its expanded basic video packages. Beginning in June 2026, customers gained the ability to purchase Netflix (both ad-supported and ad-free versions) directly through the new Spectrum App Store, an in-app marketplace that also allows non-traditional TV customers to buy streaming services à la carte.
These video initiatives appear to be helping stem the long-running tide of cord-cutting, even as overall video revenue declined. Residential video revenue fell 9.7% year-over-year to about $3.1 billion in the quarter, pressured by a higher mix of lower-priced packages, the accounting treatment of streaming app costs (which rose significantly), unfavorable revenue allocation in bundles, and the customer declines themselves. Internet revenue dropped 3.2% to $5.8 billion, reflecting fewer customers and shifts in pricing and packaging mix.
Offsetting some of the wireline pressure was continued strength in Spectrum Mobile. The company added 406,000 mobile lines in the second quarter (compared with 491,000 a year earlier), bringing the total to 12.5 million lines—an increase of 1.7 million over the trailing twelve months. Mobile service revenue rose 18.9% to $1.1 billion. Charter positions mobile as central to its converged connectivity strategy, claiming faster wireless speeds than the major national carriers while offering competitive data plans.
“We operate in a competitive environment across all of our products, and our strategy for growing connectivity services is simple—deliver the best products, at the best overall value, with the best service,” said Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter. He highlighted the pending acquisition of Cox Communications, noting that the combined scale would enable further product development with industry partners and that Spectrum’s 100% U.S.-based workforce would help deliver value to customers and shareholders.
Total revenue for the quarter came in at $13.5 billion, down 1.7% year-over-year, primarily due to lower residential video revenue. Adjusted EBITDA declined 4.3%. Charter continues to invest heavily in its network, with full-year 2026 capital expenditures (excluding any Cox impact) expected around $11.4 billion, largely tied to the multi-gigabit evolution, customer growth, and related infrastructure.
The results illustrate the dual challenges facing traditional cable operators: persistent erosion in legacy video as streaming alternatives proliferate, and growing broadband competition from wireless and fiber providers. Spectrum’s efforts to bundle streaming apps into video packages and accelerate mobile and network upgrades show an adaptive approach, yet the larger internet losses signal that competitive intensity remains high. Investors and industry observers will watch closely whether the network evolution and mobile convergence can reverse the broadband trend in coming quarters, particularly once the Cox transaction closes and provides greater scale. With nearly 59 million passings across 41 states, Charter remains one of the largest U.S. broadband providers, but sustaining and growing its customer base will require continued execution on reliability, value, and product innovation.
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