USA Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 246

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Licensees making use of acquired spectrum to improve 5G services

The US telecom sector adapted well to the particular demands of the pandemic, which has led to strong growth in the number of mobile, mobile broadband, and fixed broadband subscribers since 2020. The level of growth is expected to taper off from late 2022 as the demand for working and schooling from home subsides. The pandemic also encouraged the Federal government to increase its investment in broadband infrastructure. Of particular note was the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of November 2021, which provided $65 billion to a range of programs aimed at delivering broadband to unserved areas, providing fibre-based broadband to upgrade existing service areas, and subsidising the cost of services to low income households.

Alongside these fiscal efforts have been the several spectrum auctions undertaken during the last two years, which have greatly assisted the main licensees to improve the reach and quality of their offers based on LTE and 5G. Some of this spectrum, auctioned during 2021, was only made available to licensees from February 2022. The widening availability of 5G from the main providers AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile US has resulted in a dramatic increase in mobile data traffic. In tandem with the focus on 5G, operators have closed down their GSM and CDMA networks, and have either closed down 3G networks (as AT&T did in January 2022), or plan to in coming months.

Given the size of the US broadband market, and the growing demand for data on both fixed and mobile networks, there is continuous pressure for operators to invest in fibre networks, and to push connectivity closer to consumers. In recent years the US has seen increased activity from regional players as well as the major telcos and cablecos. Although there has been considerable investment in DOCSIS4.0, some of the cablecos are looking to ditch HFC in preference for fibre broadband. The process of migrating from copper (HFC and DSL) to fibre is ongoing, but given the scale of the work involved it will take some years yet. Some operators have investment strategies in place through to 2025, which will see the vast majority of their fixed networks being entirely on fibre. Service offerings of up to 2Gb/s are becoming more widely available as the process continues.

Key developments:

Altice USA begins process of rebranding Suddenlink under the Optimum banner;
T-Mobile US closes down legacy CDMA network, AT&T shuts down its 3G network;
FCC auctions spectrum in the 2.5GHz, 3.45GHz, 3.7GHz bands;
América Móvil completes sale of TracFone to Verizon;
US-based MNOs join alliance to develop 6G;
SpaceX wins $885 million in federal subsidies to expand Starlink in the RDOF auction;
Report update includes telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2021, assessment of the global impact of the pandemic on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Corporation, T-Mobile US, TracFone, MetroPCS Communications, Leap Wireless, Frontline, Alltel, US Cellular, Clearwire, Google, CenturyLink, Qwest, Frontier Communications, Windstream, Fairpoint, Cincinnati Bell, Comcast, HughesNet, ViaSat, Altice USA, SpaceX, Lumen

Key statistics
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Regulatory environment

Public Safety Network
Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Privacy-related legislation
Spectrum

3.5GHz
3.4GHz
2.5GHz
3.7–3.98 GHz
RDOF auction
4.9 GHz
AWS spectrum
600MHz
800MHz
2GHz
700MHz
1900MHz
mmWave spectrum

Spectrum swaps and acquisitions

T-Mobile US
AT&T
Verizon

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Mobile infrastructure

6G
5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

Industry body
AT&T
Verizon Wireless
T-Mobile US
Sprint Corporation
MVNOs

Mobile content and applications

Mobile music
M-payment
M-commerce

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Market analysis
Broadband statistics

Policy and regulation framework

Network regulation overview
Broadband stimulus packages
FCC’s National Broadband Plan
Private networks
Network neutrality

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network

New technologies
Altice USA
Comcast Corporation
Charter Communications

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Verizon
AT&T
Frontier Communications
G.fast developments

Other fixed broadband services

Wi-Fi
WiMAX
Municipal wireless broadband
State and municipal deployments
Satellite broadband
PLC

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)

Market overview
FttP network rollout

Policy and regulation framework

National Broadband Plan
Gigabit City Challenge

Public (ILEC, CLEC and Municipal) FttP networks

Municipalities
Google Fiber
FCC ruling on municipal fiber networks
Other projects/providers

RBOC FttP roll-out

Verizon
AT&T
Lumen (CenturyLink)
Cincinnati Bell
Comcast
Altice USA
Cable Communications

Digital -economy

E-services

E-entertainment
E-health
E-government
E-commerce
E-education

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – USA – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Mobile market revenue – 2012 – 2019
Table 3 – Mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2019
Table 4 – Growth in the number of mobile cell sites – 2012 – 2020
Table 5 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 6 – Mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2020
Table 7 – Mobile data traffic (billion MB) – 2012 – 2020
Table 8 – Mobile data-only devices in use – 2013 – 2020
Table 9 – Messaging traffic (billion messages) – 2012 – 2020
Table 10 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 11 – Development of AT&T Mobility’s financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 12 – AT&T wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Development of Verizon Wireless’s financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Verizon wireless subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 15 – T-Mobile US wireless subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 16 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile US’s retail mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 17 – T-Mobile US ARPU (€ / month, annualised) – 2012 – 2021
Table 18 – T-Mobile US ARPU ($ / month, annualised) – 2012 – 2021
Table 19 – T-Mobile US financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 20 – T-Mobile US financial data (€ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 21 – Sprint wireless financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2019
Table 22 – Sprint subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 23 – Sprint blended ARPU ($ / month) – 2012 – 2019
Table 24 – TracFone wireless financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 25 – TracFone wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 26 – TracFone wireless ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Table 27 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 28 – Top 10 cable MSOs’ subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 29 – Cable broadband subscribers by key operators – December 2021
Table 30 – US cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 31 – Change in the number of Altice USA’s RGUs by service (million) – 2016 – 2021
Table 32 – Development of Altice USA’s financial data ($ million) – 2016 – 2021
Table 33 – Development of Altice USA’s revenue by type ($ million) – 2016 – 2021
Table 34 – Development of Comcast’s financial data ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 35 – Comcast revenue by service ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 36 – Comcast subscriptions by service (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 37 – Comcast bundled services subscriptions (million) – 2014 – 2021
Table 38 – Charter Communications financial data ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 39 – Charter Communications residential revenue by type ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 40 – Change in the number of Charter Communications’ residential RGUs by type (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 41 – Broadband subscribers for major telco providers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 42 – Verizon wireline (FiOS) operational data (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 43 – Verizon wireline financial data ($ million) – 2014 – 2019
Table 44 – AT&T fixed-line operational data (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 45 – AT&T financial data ($ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 46 – Frontier Communications revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 47 – Frontier Communications customers by sector (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 48 – FttP homes passed and connected – 2012 – 2018; 2021
Table 49 – AT&T wireline operational data (million) – 2013 – 2021
Table 50 – CenturyLink financial data ($ million) – 2015 – 2021
Table 51 – CenturyLink subscribers by platform (million) – 2015 – 2021
Table 52 – Cincinnati Bell Fioptics revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 53 – Cincinnati Bell Fioptics subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 54 – Retails sales in the US ($ billion) – 2019 – 2021
Table 55 – Historic - Mobile market revenue, roaming revenue, ARPU – 2000 – 2011
Table 56 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2002 – 2011
Table 57 – Historic - AT&T Mobility financial data ($ billion) – 2004 – 2011
Table 58 – Historic - AT&T wireless subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 59 – Historic - Verizon wireless subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 60 – Historic - T-Mobile US wireless subscribers – 2003 – 2011
Table 61 – Historic - MetroPCS financial data ($ million) – 2007 – 2012
Table 62 – Historic - MetroPCS subscribers – 2007 – 2012
Table 63 – Historic - M2M connections – 2009 – 2018
Table 64 – Historic - Internet users and penetration – 2000 – 2016
Table 65 – Historic - Broadband subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2011
Table 66 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers by data rate (thousand) – 2012 – 2016
Table 67 – Historic - Fixed broadband population coverage by data rate – 2012 – 2016
Table 68 – Historic - Cablevision subscriptions by service (million) – 2011 – 2015
Table 69 – Historic - Cablevision financial data ($ million) – 2011 – 2015
Table 70 – Historic - Active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2008 – 2011
Table 71 – Historic - Optimum RGUs by service (million) – 2015 – 2018
Table 72 – Historic - Suddenlink RGUs by service (million) – 2015 – 2018
Table 73 – Historic - Suddenlink financial data ($ million) – 2016 – 2018
Table 74 – Historic - Cablevision financial data ($ million) – 2011 – 2019
Table 75 – Historic - FttP homes passed and connected – 2001 – 2011
Table 76 – Historic - LTE mobile broadband coverage broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2016
Table 77 – Historic - Verizon Wireless LTE devices on network – 2011 – 2017
Table 78 – Historic - Development of Comcast’s financial data ($ million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 79 – Historic - Comcast revenue by service ($ million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 80 – Historic - Charter Communications revenue – 2009 – 2011
Table 81 – Historic - Charter Communications residential revenue by type ($ million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 82 – Historic - Change in the number of Charter Communications’ residential RGUs by type (million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 83 – Historic - Broadband subscribers for major telco providers (million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 84 – Historic - AT&T fixed-line operational data (million) – 2009 – 2011
Table 85 – Historic - Frontier Communications revenue – 2008 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Mobile market revenue – 2012 – 2019
Chart 2 – Mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2019
Chart 3 – Growth in the number of mobile cell sites – 2012 – 2020
Chart 4 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 5 – Mobile voice traffic – 2012 – 2020
Chart 6 – Mobile data traffic – 2012 – 2020
Chart 7 – Mobile data-only devices in use – 2013 – 2020
Chart 8 – Messaging traffic – 2012 – 2020
Chart 9 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 10 – Development of AT&T Mobility’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 11 – AT&T wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 12 – Development of Verizon Wireless’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 13 – Verizon wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 14 – T-Mobile US wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of T-Mobile US’s retail mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 16 – T-Mobile US ARPU (€ / month, annualised) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 17 – T-Mobile US ARPU ($ / month, annualised) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 18 – T-Mobile US financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – T-Mobile US financial data (€ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Sprint wireless financial data – 2012 – 2019
Chart 21 – TracFone wireless financial data ($ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 22 – TracFone wireless subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – TracFone wireless ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 25 – US cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Chart 26 – Change in the number of Altice USA’s RGUs by service – 2016 – 2021
Chart 27 – Development of Altice USA’s financial data – 2016 – 2021
Chart 28 – Development of Altice USA’s revenue by type – 2016 – 2021
Chart 29 – Development of Comcast’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 30 – Comcast revenue by service – 2012 – 2021
Chart 31 – Comcast subscriptions by service – 2012 – 2021
Chart 32 – Comcast bundled services subscriptions – 2014 – 2021
Chart 33 – Charter Communications financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 34 – Charter Communications residential revenue by type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 35 – Change in the number of Charter Communications’ residential RGUs by type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 36 – Verizon wireline (FiOS) operational data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 37 – Verizon wireline financial data – 2014 – 2019
Chart 38 – AT&T fixed-line operational data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 39 – AT&T financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 40 – Frontier Communications revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 41 – Frontier Communications customers by sector (million) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 42 – AT&T wireline operational data – 2013 – 2021
Chart 43 – CenturyLink financial data – 2015 – 2021
Chart 44 – CenturyLink subscribers by platform – 2015 – 2021
Chart 45 – Cincinnati Bell Fioptics revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 46 – Cincinnati Bell Fioptics subscribers – 2012 – 2021

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – 3.45GHz spectrum (top bidders) – November 2021
Exhibit 2 – C-band auction results (top bidders) – March 2021
Exhibit 3 – RDOF Phase 1 auction results – December 2020
Exhibit 4 – AWS spectrum auction – January 2015
Exhibit 5 – mmWave spectrum auctions – May/June 2019
Exhibit 6 – mmWave spectrum auction – February 2020

Related Reports

Canada - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

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USA Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Licensees making use of acquired spectrum to improve 5G services

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital -economy

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views