As Cable Companies Move into Mobile, Customers Benefit: The Kiplinger Letter
The new cable bundle — home internet and mobile — is gaining steam. And the competition means good news for consumers.
To help you understand the cable companies' fight to gain and retain customers as consumers continue cord-cutting, and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
Look for cable companies to keep expanding their mobile phone business. The new bundle — home internet and mobile service — continued to gain steam in the third quarter of this year. Cable providers are offering deals to get customers to switch from traditional cellular providers, and are finding that many stick around.
Comcast scored nearly 300,000 new mobile lines in the third quarter, upping its total to 6 million. Spectrum Charter added nearly 600,000 lines and has 7.2 million total. Altice has 300,000 mobile lines connected to its mobile wireless service. Cable companies rent wireless networks from big cellular providers for regional or nationwide coverage.
As consumers cut cable TV at a fast clip, the growth of wireless is a big win for cable companies. Comcast says only about 10% of current broadband customers also subscribe to their wireless offering. What’s the potential market for the service?
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Eventually, one-third of cable broadband customers could sign up for mobile plans, giving cable companies plenty of room to run, with millions of likely new subscribers. The wireless competition is good news for consumers and businesses and small businesses should look for deals on mobile plans from cable firms in their area.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content
To continue reading this article
please register for free
This is different from signing in to your print subscription
Why am I seeing this? Find out more here
John Miley is a Senior Associate Editor at The Kiplinger Letter. He mainly covers technology, telecom and education, but will jump on other important business topics as needed. In his role, he provides timely forecasts about emerging technologies, business trends and government regulations. He also edits stories for the weekly publication and has written and edited e-mail newsletters.
He joined Kiplinger in August 2010 as a reporter for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, where he wrote stories, fact-checked articles and researched investing data. After two years at the magazine, he moved to the Letter, where he has been for the last decade. He holds a BA from Bates College and a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Northwestern University, where he specialized in business reporting. An avid runner and a former decathlete, he has written about fitness and competed in triathlons.
-
How to Assess the Impact of Your Charitable Giving
Here are five simple ways to 'do this, not that' when trying to find out from a nonprofit what kind of impact your donations are having.
By Catherine Crystal Foster Published
-
How a Two-Year Installment Sale Strategy Can Save on Taxes
When selling property or other substantially appreciated asset, you could spread the taxes over two years to save big bucks. Following the rules is critical, though.
By Derek A. Miser, Investment Adviser Published
-
AI to Power the Next Generation of Robots
The Kiplinger Letter There's increasing buzz that the tech behind ChatGPT will make future industrial and humanoid robots far more capable.
By John Miley Published
-
The Robots Are Coming... But Not For a While
The Kiplinger Letter There’s excitement in the tech sector over the potential of humanoid robots, but widespread adoption is likely to be years away.
By John Miley Published
-
Farmers Face Another Tough Year As Costs Continue to Climb: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Farm income is expected to decline for a second year, while costs continue to up-end farm profitability.
By Matthew Housiaux Published
-
India's Semiconductor Sector Eyes Expansion Amid AI Chip Boom: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter As Wall Street’s love affair with chip firms continues, a recent report highlights India’s plans to expand its semiconductor industry.
By John Miley Published
-
H-1B Work Visa Rules Get a Revamp
The Kiplinger Letter H-1B visas allow employers to hire high-skilled foreign workers. Regulators have finalized new rules for this visa program following last fall's proposal.
By Matthew Housiaux Published
-
Woes Continue for Banking Sector: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Regional bank stocks were hammered recently after news of New York Community Bank’s big fourth-quarter loss.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Published
-
Are College Athletes Employees of Their Schools?: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter A recent ruling has ramifications for labor relations and the unionization of student athletes.
By Sean Lengell Published
-
Salton Sea Clean Energy and Lithium Project Gets Approval: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter California's Salton Sea is due to see the construction of a new lithium extraction and geothermal clean energy power plant.
By Matthew Housiaux Published