DURHAM, N.H.—New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) highlights just how ubiquitous internet service has become. The new LRG survey finds that 92% of U.S. households get an Internet service at home, significantly up from 83% in 2018 and 76% in 2008. 

Very notably, the survey also found that most of the connections could be considered higher-speed broadband and that consumers were generally satisfied with their service. 

In terms of broadband, LRG reports that broadband accounts for 98% of households with an Internet service at home, and 90% of all households get a broadband Internet service – an increase from 81% in 2018 and 57% in 2008.

The research found that 60% of broadband subscribers are very satisfied (8-10 on a 1-10 scale) with their Internet service at home, while 5% are not satisfied (1-3).  Satisfaction with broadband is as high as in any year in the past decade, and compares to 53% who reported being very satisfied in 2018, and 59% in 2013.

These findings are based on a survey of 1,767 households from throughout the United States and are part of a new LRG study, Broadband Internet in the U.S. 2023.  This is LRG’s twenty-first annual study on this topic.

“The percentage of households getting an Internet service at home, including high-speed broadband, reached an all-time high over the past year,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “This year’s study found that 92% of households get an Internet service at home, an increase from 85% in pre-pandemic 2019. Broadband subscribers are generally content with their services, with 60% reporting that they are very satisfied overall, and 70% agreeing that their Internet service meets the needs of their household.”

Other important findings include:

• 70% of broadband subscribers agree (8-10) that their Internet service meets the needs of their household, while 5% disagree (1-3).
• 64% of broadband subscribers rate the quality of the speed of their Internet connection 8-10 (with 10 being excellent), higher than any year in the past decade, including 53% in 2018 and 58% in 2013.  Just 3% rate speed 1-3 (with 1 being poor).
• 42% of broadband subscribers do not know the download speed of their service – compared to 59% in 2018.
• 22% of broadband subscribers report that their provider is the only one available in their area – compared to 27% in 2021 .
• 87% of households use at least one laptop or desktop computer, and 96% of this group get an Internet service at home. 
• Those that do not use a laptop or desktop computer at home account for 64% of all that do not get an Internet service at home. 

As the TV business realigns itself around streaming services, traditional pay-TV services continue to bleed subscribers, according to the most recent quarterly results from Leichtman Research Group.

In its latest report, LRG reported that the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S.—representing about 96% of the market—lost about 1,730,000 net video subscribers in 2Q 2023, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 1,725,000 in 2Q 2022. 

The top pay-TV providers account for about 71.9 million subscribers—with the top seven cable companies having 35.9 million video subscribers, other traditional pay-TV services having about 22.7 million subscribers, and the top Internet-delivered (vMVPD) pay-TV services having about 13.4 million subscribers, according to LRG.

Top cable providers had a net loss of about 925,000 video subscribers in 2Q 2023—compared to a loss of about 950,000 subscribers in 2Q 2022, while other traditional pay-TV services had a net loss of about 690,000 subscribers in 2Q 2023—compared to a loss of about 710,000 subscribers in 2Q 2022, LRG said. Top vMVPDs (including an estimate for YouTube TV) had a net loss of about 115,000 subscribers in 2Q 2023—compared to a loss of about 65,000 subscribers in 2Q 2022.

“Pay-TV net losses of about 1.73 million in 2Q 2023 were similar to the losses in last year’s second quarter,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc.  “Over the past year, top pay-TV providers had a net loss of about 5,360,000 subscribers, compared to a net loss of about 4,235,000 over the prior year.”

DURHAM, N.H.—New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) found that 90% of U.S. households get an internet service at home, compared to 84% in 2017, and 74% in 2007.  

Broadband accounts for 99% of households with an internet service at home, and 89% of all households get a broadband internet service – an increase from 82% in 2017, and 53% in 2007, the researchers reported. 

“The percentage of households getting an internet service at home, including high-speed broadband, is higher than in any previous year,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “Computer usage and knowledge remain the foundation for internet services in the home. Among those that do not get an Internet service at home, 58% also do not use a computer at home.”

This study also found that 90% of households use a laptop or desktop computer, an increase from 85% in 2017. Of those that use a laptop or desktop computer at home, 96% have an internet service at home.

People who do not use a laptop or desktop computer at home account for 58% of those who do not get an internet service at home. Older people also accounted for a large share of those who do not have home internet service. 

Other key findings from the new study include: 

• Individuals aged 65+ account for 34% of those that do not get an internet service at home
• 56% of broadband subscribers are very satisfied (8-10 on a 1-10 scale) with their internet service at home, while 6% are not satisfied (1-3). 
• 44% of broadband subscribers do not know the download speed of their service – compared to 60% in 2017
• 61% reporting internet speeds of >100 Mbps are very satisfied with their service, compared to 41% with speeds <50 Mbps, and 57% that do not know their speed
• 40% of broadband households get a bundle of services from a single provider – compared to 64% in 2017, and 78% in 2012
• 59% of adults with an internet service at home watch video online daily – compared to 59% in 2020, 43% in 2017, and 17% in 2012

These findings are based on a survey of 1,910 households from throughout the United States and are part of a new LRG study, Broadband Internet in the U.S. 2022.  This is LRG’s twentieth annual study on this topic.

DURHAM, NH—The largest U.S. pay TV operators saw fewer subscriber losses in 2021 than in 2020, according to Leichtman Research Group.

The research firm reported that pay-TV providers in the U.S. representing about 93% of the market lost about 4,690,000 net video subscribers in 2021, compared to a pro forma net loss of about 4,870,000 in 2020.

The top pay-TV providers now account for about 76.1 million subscribers, with the top seven cable companies having 41.3 million video subscribers, other traditional pay-TV services having over 26.8 million subscribers, and the top publicly reporting Internet-delivered (vMVPD) pay-TV services having 7.9 million subscribers.

Key findings for the year include:

• Top cable providers had a net loss of about 2,695,000 video subscribers in 2021, compared to a loss of about 1,940,000 subscribers in 2020;
• Other traditional pay-TV services had a net loss of about 2,890,000 subscribers in 2021 compared to a loss of about 3,845,000 subscribers in 2020;
• Top publicly reporting vMVPDs added about 895,000 subscribers in 2021, compared to a gain of about 915,000 subscribers in 2020
• Traditional pay-TV services (not including vMVPD) had a net loss of about 5,585,000 subscribers in 2021, compared to a net loss of about 5,785,000 in 2020

“While the pay-TV industry continued to lose subscribers, net losses in 2021 were fairly similar to those in recent years,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc.  “In 2021, the top pay-TV providers had a net loss of about 4.7 million subscribers, compared to a pro forma loss of about 4.9 million subscribers in 2020, and 4.1 million in 2019.”

DURHAM, N.H.—The largest pay-TV operators in the U.S. continued to lose video subscribers in the first quarter of this year, with MVPDs representing about 95% of the market reporting net sub losses around 1,895,000 video subscribers in Q1 2021, according to the Leichtman Research Group Inc.

The losses were similar to declines seen in early 2020, when pay-TV operators  lost 1,955,000 subs in Q1 2020. 

With the losses, the largest U.S. pay-TV video subscribers now have about 78.7 million subs. This includes the top seven cable companies with 43.1 million video subscribers, other traditional pay-TV services like Dish, Verizon and AT&T with 28.9 million subscribers, and the top publicly reporting internet-delivered (vMVPD) pay-TV services like Hulu and Sling with 6.7 million subscribers. 

“Pay-TV net losses of about 1.9 million in Q1 2021 were similar to the net losses in Q1 2020,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group (LRG).  “Over the past year, top pay-TV providers had a net loss of about 4,790,000 subscribers, compared to a loss of about 5,125,000 over the prior year.”

Among the different sectors, cable video customer declines accelerated slightly to a net loss of about 775,000 video subscribers in Q1 2021, up from about 595,000 subscribers in Q1 2020. The Q1 2021 losses among the top cable operators were more than any previous quarter, LRG reported. 

Virtual MVPDs also continued to struggle, with a net loss of 255,000 subs in Q1 2021, up slightly from 210,000 a year ago. 

AT&T Premium TV, which includes DirecTV, U-verse and AT&T TV, once again saw the largest losses of any operator, with a drop of 620,000 video subs in the quarter, followed by Comcast, with 491,000 fewer subs in Q1 2020. 

DURHAM, N.H.—More specifics are coming out about how pay-TV fared in the first quarter of 2019, and they aren’t positive. Leitchman Research Group released its own report that found the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S., which make up about 95% of the market, had a net loss of 1.325 million video subscribers in Q1 2019; last year’s numbers over the same period resulted in a pro forma net loss of 305,000 subscribers.

In total, the top pay-TV providers now have about 87.8 million subscribers. Broken down, that gives the top six cable companies 46.7 million subscribers; satellite TV services 28.3 million; top telephone companies 8.9 million; and the top vMVPD pay-TV services 3.9 million.

All services suffered a net loss of subscribers during the measured time period. Satellite TV services took the biggest hit, losing 810,000 subscribers in the first quarter; up from a loss of 375,000 in Q1 last year. The top six cable companies lost about 50,000 more subscribers this year (285,000 in Q1 2018, 335,000 in Q1 2019). Telephone providers’ losses more than doubled from 50,000 last year to 105,000 in the recent period. The measured vMVPD services, which include the likes of SlingTV and DirecTV Now, went from a net gain of 405,000 during the first quarter of 2018 to a loss of 75,000 subscribers.

No company took a bigger hit than AT&T according to Leitchman’s research. Across its three pay-TV services (DirecTV, AT&T U-Verse and DirecTV Now) there was a net loss of 625,000 subscribers; last year saw a net gain of 125,000. Overall, AT&T accounted for 47% of the net losses for all pay-TV providers.

Leitchman President and Principal Analyst Bruce Leitchman noted that Q1 2019 marked the third straight quarter of record pay-TV net losses. He also said that the downturn coincides with pay-TV providers’ decision to focus on long-term profitability when acquiring and retaining subscribers.