As traditional cable operators and telcos grapple with increased competition from satellite and fixed wireless broadband providers, new data from S&P Global Market Intelligence delves into who is cutting the broadband cord and why they are choosing wireless alternatives.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan’s Q1 2026 MediaCensus consumer survey, 16% of respondents do not subscribe to a traditional wired home broadband service, choosing instead fixed wireless, satellite, mobile data, or forgoing home internet entirely.
Among those without a wired connection, 28% report they have never subscribed to a wired broadband service, while 38% severed their wired connection more than 12 months ago.
Non-wired home internet adoption is led by fixed wireless services at 9%, followed by satellite home internet at 2%, smartphone-only home internet users at 2%, and households with no home internet service at 3%, the S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan’s Q1 2026 MediaCensus consumer survey found.
Younger consumers demonstrate the highest rate of broadband cord-cutting, with 23% of 18- to 24-year-olds lacking a wired internet connection, compared to just 11% of consumers aged 65 and older. Furthermore, younger cord-cutters and cord-nevers favor satellite internet while older cord-cutters lean toward fixed wireless or no household internet service.
The research also indicates that rural access and mobile bundling serve as key drivers for alternative internet adoption: 43% of satellite internet subscribers cite living in a rural area without wired options as their main reason for not subscribing to wired broadband, whereas 37% of fixed wireless subscribers report being motivated by bundled deals tied to their mobile plans.
In another notable finding, the study found that smartphone-only internet users rely heavily on mobile feature sets, with 52% citing an unlimited data plan and 37% using their phone as a hotspot. Notably, 24% of smartphone-only users claim local wired options are too expensive, compared to 14% of those with no internet service at all.
Satellite subscribers represent the largest share of recent broadband cord-cutters, with 61% having dropped wired broadband in the past 12 months whereas fixed wireless subscribers are more established cord-cutters, with 44% having dropped wired service more than a year ago.
