Commentary

New Survey Shows Cord-Cutting Trend Down

According to research conducted by TDG in the first half of 2015, the percentage of adult broadband users moderately to highly likely to cancel their pay-TV service declined 20% between early 2014 and 2015.

Countering recent suggestions of an increase in cord cutting, a new survey from TDG Research found that the percentage of adult broadband users (ADUs) who were moderately or highly likely to cancel their pay TV service in the next six months dropped 20% since last year. 

“The fact that the decline occurred among those most likely to cut the cord was key, and ultimately translated into lower losses in Q3…” says the report.

Michael Greeson, TDG cofounder and director of research, says "… cord cutting proclivities have held steady for several years… approximately 7% of ABU  pay-TV subscribers moderately or highly likely to cancel their service in the six months following the survey… in early 2015… the number declined to 5.7%... “

Adult Broadband Users Likely To Cancel Their Pay-TV Service, 2011-2015(6 or 7 on 7-Point Likelihood Scale; How Likely to Cancel and NOT Sign Up With Alternate:)

Year

Definitely Will Cancel

Moderately Likely to Cancel

2011

2.4%

4.9%

2012

1.8

4.9

2013

2.2

4.8

2014

2.9

4.2

2015

1.4

4.3

Source: TDG, November 2015

Notably, the percentage of consumers saying they ‘definitely will cancel’ their pay-TV service in the next six months has been cut in half, down from 2.9% in early 2014 to 1.4% in early 2015, accounting for all of the top-2 regression.

Those results also come as some top MSOs continued to lose fewer video subscriptions, and in some cases actually add them. Comcast lost 48,000 video subs in Q3, down from 81,000 in the year-ago quarter, while Charter Communications added 12,000 video subs in Q3.

To learn more about TDG’s consumer research, please visit here.

 

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