10% US homes likely to cancel fixed broadband

Consumer research from Parks Associates reveals that 10 per cent of US broadband households are likely to cancel their fixed broadband service over the next 12 months.

According to 360 View: Mobility & the App Economy, these consumers would use wireless or mobile data services as a replacement for their traditional broadband service. This trend is an extension of the current migration away from fixed-line telephone services in favour of cellular, with 8 per cent of US broadband households planning to cancel this service in the next 12 months. Currently 51 per cent of US broadband households have fixed-line phone service.

“The diminishing use of fixed-line voice services may foreshadow the decline of fixed-broadband Internet services as the mobile data capabilities of smartphones increase and mobile carriers in the US re-introduce their unlimited data plans,” said Harry Wang, Senior Director of Research, Parks Associates. “Not surprisingly, younger consumers are more likely to go completely mobile for their Internet needs; 15 per cent of heads-of-household ages 25-34 are likely to cancel their fixed broadband service in the next 12 months.”

Parks Associates notes that a growing number of value-added mobile services, such as T-Mobile’s zero-rated HD video streaming offer, AT&T’s zero-rated DIRECTV Now service, Sprint’s Amazon Prime service, or Verizon’s Go90 video service, may have emboldened broadband cord-cutters.

“Subscribers to value-added mobile data services are substantially more likely to cancel their fixed broadband service,” Wang said. “This suggests that the use of a mobile phone for entertainment purposes contributes to the consumer perception that they can substitute mobile for fixed-data service with little or no pain.”