More subscribers sign on to high-speed services

Internet subscribers are no longer satisfied with simply getting online. They want fast service, fast downloads and the faster the better. Nearly 3 million subscribers signed on for high-speed services in the first quarter of 2007 alone.

by Kristina Knight

According to research from the Leichtman Research Group, cable and telephone companies split the new additions fairly evenly with cable acquiring 1.45 million and phone companies accounting for 1.49 million new subscribers.

Together, cable and phone companies now account for more than 56 million broadband subscribers. However, there is a new trend leading some consumers away from the phone company. With cable companies now offering package deals for cable, phone service and Internet access, cable companies are beginning to take subscribers away from the phone companies. According to the report, cable providers added 1 million phone subscribers in Q1.

“Cable’s record success in the first quarter of 2007 is emblematic of the industry’s ability to evolve beyond its core television heritage,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. “The top cable companies now have over 30 million broadband subscribers, and about 10 million telephone subscribers, to complement their enhanced TV offerings.”

What this means for online marketers is that looking at a traditional market, such as a cable company, for advertising could be profitable. With the top cable companies offering more than simple cable to subscribers, advertisers will also have a broader scope of advertising options.