Comcast Adds Most TV Subscribers in a Decade

As expected, the company outlined its plans to launch a wireless service offering in 2017 with the company acting as a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, on

Comcast posted another quarter of television customer growth, with net additions of 80,000 in the quarter and 216,000 for 2016--the firm’s best result in 10 years. While we still expect new entrants to the television market will challenge Comcast’s ability to grow in the coming years, we believe it has a fundamentally stronger position than

While Comcast’s wireless launch later this year appears to be mimicking the AT&T strategy, the MVNO platform allows Comcast to provide wireless with an asset-light model versus building out its own network. Although we remain skeptical that customers will sign up to a quad-play offering without significant overall discount to the total price, we appreciate that Comcast’s version allows the firm to test the attractiveness of quad-play with a relatively low capital outlay.

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