While cable operators still supply most consumer broadband connections in the United States, telcos led in new sales to new subscribers in the last quarter. The top telcos added about 925,000 subscribers, representing 54 percent of the net broadband additions for the quarter
According to a new study by Leichtman Research Group, the 19 largest cable and telephone providers in the nation, representing about 94 percent of the market acquired over 1.7 million net additional high-speed Internet subscribers in the second quarter of 2007. The top broadband providers now account for nearly 58 million subscribers, with cable companies having 31.5 million, and telephone companies over 26.4 million.
However, total broadband additions were the fewest since the second quarter of 2004 and about 400,000 less than in the second quarter of last year. Charter was the only major broadband provider to record significantly more net broadband additions in the second quarter than a year ago.
The top cable broadband providers have a 54 percent share of the broadband market, with about a 5.1 million subscriber advantage over the telephone companies
In other findings, the firm said over one in every five households in the nation now has a DVR —up from about one in every 13 households two years ago.
The mean household income of DVR owners is 33 percent above average. Of the DVR owners, 53 percent say that they have an HDTV set, while 45 percent of DVR owners record five or fewer programs per week.
While 84 percent of DVR owners rate the ability to skip commercials as very important, just 8 percent of DVR owners say it is the greatest benefit of having a DVR.
