Comcast Loses TV Subscribers, Gains Broadband Subscribers Loses Video Subscriber Lead to Netflix Wednesday May 04 2011 08:23 EDT Comcast's first quarter earnings report is largely favorable, the company reporting quarterly revenues of $12.1 billion, a 32% jump from one year earlier. Like other cable operators, Comcast continued to lose basic TV subscribers, dropping 39,000 on the quarter, bringing their total TV subscriber total to 22.6 million, just under Netflix's 22.8 million subscribers. However, what Comcast is losing in TV market share they're more then making up for on the broadband front, the company adding 418,000 broadband subscribers on the quarter, compared to 189,000 for Time Warner Cable, 98,000 for Verizon and 175,000 for AT&T. So while telcos may be leeching TV customers in FiOS and U-Verse markets, Comcast is using much faster broadband service to lure users in markets the telcos haven't upgraded. |
batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie. Premium Member join:2003-02-06 Netcong, NJ |
batterup
Premium Member
2011-May-4 8:27 am
Comcast is doing just fine in FiOS areas also.Just because Verizon runs it doesn't mean they will come. | |
| | jjeffeoryjjeffeory join:2002-12-04 Bloomington, IN |
Re: Comcast is doing just fine in FiOS areas also.Heh, but "I" did. I know not everyone will, but I'm getting a deal compared to Comcast AND faster speeds and a better TV PQ. | |
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FFH5 Premium Member join:2002-03-03 Tavistock NJ |
FFH5
Premium Member
2011-May-4 8:44 am
Comcast seems to be digesting NBCU well tooAnd looking at the numbers it seems that Comcast is also handling the takeover of NBCU pretty well also. NBCU revenues are up 8%. Maybe Comcast tossing most of the top mgt at NBCU and putting in their own people will start to turn around that disaster of a TV network. | |
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valueThe internet is beginning to offer MORE than what a basic (stripped down) subscription in the lowest priced triple play offers. This is why FIOS offers some premium channels in the EXTREME triple play for about $10 more (bottom line price) you get showtime & movie channel.. Still that doesn't matter to most, but that is what's included @ the 25/25 tier triple play. This will probably be entry level now that Cablevision has boost plus 50/8. Sure, verizon can up the speed or lower my bill to compete down the line Comcast will see more broadband subscribers due to AT&T's move to CAP.. even though Comcrap has caps too, these are soft caps. AT&T seems to indicate that these are "HARD CAPS" with definied minimum overages. AT&T will LOSE subscribers who don't wanna see a higher bill in any event. Let the churn commence to hurt at&t for this bad move. Comcast will profit from this, no dobut as the protesters leave AT&T dsl & uverse. | |
| | wings10I Am Legend Premium Member join:2004-06-09 South Elgin, IL |
wings10
Premium Member
2011-May-4 9:12 am
Re: valueAnd with Comcast losing there Cable TV subscribers to services like Netflix CAPS and Overage Charges are only a matter of time for Comcast as well. | |
| | | DarkLogixTexan and Proud Premium Member join:2008-10-23 Baytown, TX |
Re: valueI doubt that as comcast has their meters and such implemented in a way that specifically make it hard to link it to billing | |
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Re: valuesaid by DarkLogix:I doubt that as comcast has their meters and such implemented in a way that specifically make it hard to link it to billing I dont know about that. Comcast High Speed 2 Go wireless service has overages, and it uses the same meter. | |
| | | | | rody_44 Premium Member join:2004-02-20 Quakertown, PA 1 edit |
rody_44
Premium Member
2011-May-5 7:02 am
Re: valueComcast is just a reseller for high speed 2 go. They dont use the same meters at all. clearwire 4g users use clearwies and 3g uses sprint meters. clearwire is unlimited and sprint isnt. But neither use comcast meters. | |
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| | | wings10I Am Legend Premium Member join:2004-06-09 South Elgin, IL |
to DarkLogix
So that's way they threaten to "Cut Off" your service for 12 months if you go over? | |
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But...no one is cutting their cords! (so they said) | |
| | SpaethCoDigital Plumber MVM join:2001-04-21 Minneapolis, MN |
Re: But...said by cableties:no one is cutting their cords! (so they said) Well, they might be cutting their cable cord and getting their TV from the sky.
While cable subscribers are dropping, both satellite companies (Dish and DirecTV), ATT U-verse, and Verizon FiOS TV are all still posting subscriber growth.
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| | rody_44 Premium Member join:2004-02-20 Quakertown, PA |
to cableties
Yes this quarterly shows that cord cutting really was not a problem. A mere 39,000 looses in video category is a huge win for comcast. With two major players entering the market in the last couple of years thats dam near amazing. In fact its the best in 4 years, Even more amazing is the addition of almost a half a million broadband subs. | |
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IowaCowboyLost in the Supermarket Premium Member join:2010-10-16 Springfield, MA |
TV is more reliableI have Comcast for TV and Internet (only choice at this time) and the TV actually works. I have two TiVo boxes with CableCards and those have given me no issues at all.
The internet gives me trouble all the time. The connection keeps dropping and the DNS servers keep going down. I know it's Comcast that is acting up when I switch over to my Verizon Wireless MiFi and the internet works just fine. I tried getting Verizon DSL, but the Central Office is maxed out which probably says something about Comcast. Comcast is good for cable but bad for internet and phone. I have my home phone through another provider due to CDV being unreliable. | |
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Re: TV is more reliablethis is really going to screw up the world of more advancement, gaining more HD channels, and new guide for set top boxes cause now they will state there is no demand for it. | |
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| rody_44 Premium Member join:2004-02-20 Quakertown, PA |
rody_44
Premium Member
2011-May-4 3:34 pm
wow That is one hell of a quarter. I guess it should be clear now comcast efforts sure are paying off. Hearing karl say largely favorable made my day as i know it killed him to say that. Great quartely comcast. Keep up the good work. | |
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AnonGuy
Anon
2011-May-4 5:54 pm
Netflix Comparison is SillyWhile it makes a nice headline, comparing Netflix subscriber totals to Comcast's (or AT&T's, Verizon's, Time Warner's or Dish's) is silly. The cable/telco/satellite guys earn $50-100/month from their video customers - and cable and telco earn up to another $50-100 on internet and phone services (with higher margins than video). Netflix earns $7.99 - $15.00ish per month. According to their Q1-2011 earnings, Netflix had 39% gross margins (revenue - cost of services). Comcast earned 60% gross margins in the same quarter (all services). Those margins are not quite as good if you could see just video, but I'll bet they are way better than 39%.
Netflix has no customer hardware capital or distribution network to build and maintain, which works in their favor. But they are also becoming hated by the people who sell them their content (a problem Comcast and DirecTV don't have) as they compete with those content vendor's own DVD sales and more favorable terms with other distributors.
Bottom line - Netflix is not a Comcast or Verizon FiOS or a DirecTV. They are a separate category. It competes for per-view $$'s with cable/telco/satellite, DVD rentals (Red Box, Blockbuster (r.i.p.), DVD Sales (Studios) and HBO/Showtime/Starz monthly subscriptions. It's a very cool and very disruptive business model, but it's not the same as cable. | |
| | DanM @comcastbusiness.net |
DanM
Anon
2011-May-5 3:14 pm
Re: Netflix Comparison is SillyIt does when Netflix is the reason people are unwilling to spend hundreds on stations they have or never plan to watch. The increase in Netflix market share and the decrease in Comcast cable shows people are getting sick of paying for the 60% mark up you just mentioned.
It may not be as big a player but its sort of like David taking down Goliath. | |
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