Satellite Leading Video Provider in Rural America According to LRG's third annual study: "Cable & DBS: Competing for Customers 2005," rural areas nationwide now
have more Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) subscribers than cable subscribers. DBS now accounts for over 25 million subscribers nationwide.
- 42%
of individuals who define themselves as living in a rural area report that they subscribe only to DBS vs. 38% last year
- 37% to cable only, equal to last year
- 2% to both cable and DBS
While DBS has made recent gains in urban and suburban areas, cable still has nearly a 4:1
subscriber advantage in these areas
- 63% report that they subscribe only to cable vs. 65% last year
- 17% to DBS-only vs. 13%
last yeat
- 2% to both cable and DBS
Industry by the Numbers - (as of the end of 1Q 2005)
Top 10 Cable MSOs in the U.S. |
| Passings
(million) |
Subscrib'rs | Avail | Penetration
| Net Adds in 1Q '05 | Net Adds in 1Q '04
|
Basic Cable | 108.6 | 58.5 | | 53.9% | 22,400 |
11,350 |
Digital Cable | 108.1
| 24.7 | 99% | 22.8% | 634,500 | 659,000 |
Broadband Net |
105.9 | 20.9 | 97% | 19.8% | 1,190,000 | 1,165,000 |
Telephone | 35.7 | 3.5 | 33%
| 9.9% | 374,000 | 107,000 |
Sources: The Companies and Leichtman Research
Group, Inc. |
DBS |
| TotalSubs (million) | Net Adds in 1Q '05 | Total New Subscribers | Subscriber Acquisition
Cost | Avg Rev Per Sub/Mo |
DIRECTV | 14.4 | 505,000 | 1,137,000 | $656 | $65.78 |
EchoStar | 11.2 | 325,000 |
801,700 | $623 | $57.00 |
Total DBS | 25.7 | 830,000 | 1,938,700 | | |
Sources: The Companies and Leichtman Research Group, Inc. |
Go here for more information.