Cable Mobile Could Affect Carriers, S&P Says; Net Neutrality Preemption Unclear

Increased wireless industry competition from cable, particularly with Altice joining the market (see 1909050050), and a more-mature industry could mean more moderate wireless customer growth and service revenue, S&P said Wednesday. The debt ratings firm said Comcast and Charter Communications could sign wholesale wireless arrangements with AT&T at better rates than their Verizon mobile virtual network operators, making them more competitive. It said 5G deployments and spectrum acquisitions will carry sizable price tags, and fifth-generation revenue opportunities "will be slow to materialize." S&P said 5G fixed wireless could start affecting cable revenue in four to five years. It said a Democratic presidential administration in 2021 could reclassify broadband under Communications Act Title II, possibly leading to federal price caps. S&P said it's unclear if the FCC can block state-level net neutrality efforts, or when it might.