Cable Continues to Dominate in Broadband Subscriber Adds, Pivotal Research Says

Cable accounted for all Q1 growth in U.S. broadband subscriptions, adding 910,000, while telcos collectively lost 13,000 despite "hyper-aggressive offers" from AT&T, Pivotal Research's Jeffrey Wlodarczak emailed investors Friday. "Speed matters and cable has the better mousetrap" with speeds ramping up to 1 GB and heading eventually toward 10 GB, he said: Cable has ample medium- to long-term growth opportunities in taking market share from DSL, and 5G isn't likely to be a material competitor over the next five years. The analyst said pay-TV operators, including private ones, likely lost 840,000 subscribers in Q1, for the seventh straight quarter of accelerating year-over-year declines, a trend that likely will continue in Q2. Wlodarczak said there likely were roughly 5 million virtual MVPD subscribers in the quarter.