Would Massive FTTH Help Telcos Gain More Broadband Share?

In the fourth quarter of 2018, US cable operators got 841,000 net new internet access accounts, while telcos lost 145,000 accounts. The entire industry gained 724,000 net accounts. So cable operators once again accounted for virtually all of the net gains.

Satellite broadband service providers added 28,000 net accounts.

Some observers think telcos would do better if they spent lots more capital on upgrading their networks to fiber-to-home platforms. Maybe not.

MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett notes that AT&T's expanding fiber-to-the-premises footprint hasn't swung market share. AT&T lost subs in 2018 even as the FTTH footprint expanded by four million during the year.

Of course, that could change as AT&T has more time to market services, as take rates often climb for the first several years after marketing begins. And AT&T also has to deal with the older digital subscriber line base, which is uncompetitive with cable offers, for the most part.