U.S. Satellite and Telco Subscribers Increase as Cable Falls in 2012
By Rebecca Lincks | March 21, 2013
[Satellite TODAY 03-21-13] U.S. satellite and telco distributors achieved a small gain of multichannel video subscribers in 2012, SNL Kagan reported.
According to SNL Kagan, the three primary TV distribution platforms increased 46,000 video customers in 2012, reaching 100.4 million consumers now accounting for 84.7 percent of occupied U.S. homes. A majority of these gains occurred in the fourth quarter, as all the U.S. multichannel service providers collectively added 51,000 new customers.
Cable TV distributers decreased1.66 subscribers from 2011 to 56.4 million, but still stands as the biggest U.S. TV multichannel distributor. Satellite TV distributors increased 288,000 customers to 34.1 million, while Telco TV companies gained the biggest rise of 1.4 million to 9.9 million.
“The modest fourth-quarter and full-year 2012 subscriber growth suggests the segment is not rebounding with the broader economy, and customer formation is lagging the rebounding housing market," Kagan said in a statement.