About 2,950,000 Added Broadband From Top Providers in 2021

The largest cable and wireline phone providers in the US–representing about 96% of the market–acquired about 2,950,000 net additional broadband Internet subscribers in 2021, compared to gains of about 4,860,000 subscribers in 2020, and about 2,550,000 in 2019. These top broadband providers now account for about 108.4 million subscribers, with top cable companies having about 75.7 million broadband subscribers, and top wireline phone companies having about 32.7 million subscribers. Additional findings:

• Overall, broadband additions in 2021 were 61% of the total in 2020, and 115% of the total in 2019
• The top cable companies had about 2.8 million net adds in 2021, 58% of the cable broadband additions in 2020, and 89% of additions in 2019
• The top wireline phone companies added about 150,000 subscribers in 2021–compared to a gain of about 30,000 subscribers in 2020, and a net loss of about 590,000 subscribers in 2019
  • Telcos had about 1.8 million net adds via fiber in 2021–compared to about 1.64 million fiber net adds in 2020
• Among these top providers, cable companies accounted for 95% of the net broadband adds in 2021–compared to 99% in 2020, and 123% in 2019