Comcast-Verizon Battle Intensifies as US Hits Peak TV

Comcast added TV subscribers in the first quarter, its second consecutive gain after years of losing market share to phone companies. And Time Warner Cable, the target of its $45 billion takeover bid, reduced customer losses to the fewest in four years. Meanwhile, AT&T fell short of analysts’ estimates for TV customer gains and Verizon’s FiOS TV had its worst quarter ever.

Cable companies are matching competitors’ pricing and unveiling new technology, like Comcast’s X1 set-top box, to keep customers in the fold. The battle among cable, phone and satellite providers is growing more intense as the pool of potential customers shrinks. About 97 percent of U.S. households already subscribe to pay-TV, and younger viewers are increasingly shunning those bills and instead watching video online.