U.S. Pay-TV Subscriber Losses Slow

According to the latest informitv Multiscreen Index, the top ten service providers in the U.S. collectively lost 862,800 TV subscribers in Q3.

Eight of the top ten shed TV subs in the third quarter, although their combined losses were lower than in the previous quarters of 2020. The top ten services have lost 4.72 million television subscribers between them so far in 2020. The top ten services for the U.S. in the Multiscreen Index now have 72.28 million television customers between them, accounting for just under 60 percent of television homes.

Comcast shed 253,000 TV subscribers, compared to a loss of 427,000 the previous quarter, taking its total to 19.22 million, down from 20.42 million a year previously.

AT&T lost 627,000 subs across its satellite, telco and online television platforms, compared to a loss of 952,000 in the previous quarter, with a total of 17.78 million.

Charter posted a gain of 53,000 television customers, building on an increase of 102,000 the previous quarter, taking its total to 15.71 million, which is around the same as a year ago.

DISH Network lost 57,000 satellite subscribers, although it gained 205,000 Sling TV online subscribers, ending the quarter with a combined total of 11.42 million television subscribers.

Verizon lost 61,000 Fios television subs, marking its 15th consecutive quarterly subscriber loss, reducing its total to 3.93 million.

Altice USA shed 67,800 TV subscribers, also continuing its run of quarterly subscriber losses, ending with a total of 3.04 million.

Mediacom and Frontier lost 13,000 and 42,000 subs, respectively, and now have 1.18 million between them.

“The rate of television subscriber decline in the United States has reduced since the first quarter of 2020, when the top 10 services had combined losses of 2.33 million,” said Dr. William Cooper, the editor of the informitv Multiscreen Index. “There is still a secular decline in this mature market, but it is important to remember that six out of ten television homes in the United States still subscribe to one of these services.”