In U.S., Home Broadband Competition is Increasing Fast

Here’s one way of looking at the impact of 5G fixed wireless platforms. In study looking at fixed network competition in the U.S. market, the ACA points out that the percentage of markets in which three internet service providers all operate is growing. 

The numerical test ACA uses is “three providers offering service at a minimum of 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream. So consider 5G. 

source: ACA

Looking only at mid-band spectrum--and ignoring areas where millimeter wave spectrum is available and activated, mobile services by AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile would be added to the list of markets with at least three competitors. If we assume that AT&T or Verizon already are on the list of fixed network competitors, but only one operates in any area,  then at least two new competitors get added to the ACA list. 

In many areas, three new competitors get added, as neither AT&T nor Verizon are already in the market as fixed line providers. That is a huge change, and will happen faster than new fixed-network competitors enter the market. 

source: Opensignal 

Looked at that way, we would expect the percentage of markets with three to six competitors to shoot sharply upwards by December 2021. That ACA data might not reflect this, as ACA only tracks fixed network competitors. 

But functional levels of competition, using the ACA criteria, will skyrocket. We can thank mid-band mobile spectrum for that change.