Telecom news in the US, this week (Feb 3)

Weekly briefing:

1. Intensified Competition 

• Cable Broadband Struggles: Comcast and Charter are both experiencing significant losses in broadband subscribers due to competition from fiber providers and fixed wireless access (FWA) services offered by mobile carriers. Charter reported 171k  residential broadband disconnects in Q4, while Comcast lost 131k.
• Comcast's Wireless Pivot: Comcast added 307k net mobile subs in Q4.
• Cable Bundling Strategy:  Charter and Comcast are trying to highlight the value of bundled packages which include streaming services, TV and mobile. Charter CEO Chris Winfrey stated that their customers save $80 a month with the bundles versus purchasing services individually, "We look forward to fully rolling that out in the first half of this year.”
• Low Latency as a Differentiator: To counter the appeal of FWA, Comcast is emphasizing its low latency technology as an advantage, particularly for gaming and video streaming.

2. Satellite-Based Cellular Connectivity

• AST SpaceMobile's FCC Approval: AST SpaceMobile has received Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the FCC to test its satellite service in the U.S. with AT&T and Verizon. This allows them to test directly with unmodified, off-the-shelf cell phones on AT&T and Verizon's network.
• Strategic Partnerships: While T-Mobile was an early leader in satellite-based texting with SpaceX, AT&T and Verizon are quickly catching up with AST SpaceMobile. AST SpaceMobile has secured significant investment from major players like AT&T, Verizon, Google, and Vodafone, and has agreements with over 45 mobile network operators globally.
• Vodafone's Video Call Breakthrough: Vodafone successfully made the world's first satellite video call via unmodified 4G and 5G cell phones. 

3. The Evolving Streaming Landscape & Bundled Services

• MLS Season Pass Deals: Apple is partnering with Comcast and T-Mobile to offer new viewing experiences for MLS Season Pass.
• Charter's Streaming Struggles: Despite bundling streaming services with pay TV packages, Charter continues to see pay TV subscriber losses. They plan to educate customers more effectively about these included streaming benefits.
• AT&T Bundling Strategy: AT&T is having success bundling 5G and fiber. 

4. Mixed Outlook for XR Technologies

• Lack of Direction: The development of Apple's AR glasses is reported to have been disjointed with a lack of overall direction. Apple's high-end Vision Pro headset is facing poor sales, raising concerns about its future. However, cheaper versions are still reportedly in development.
• Comcast's Low-Latency Partnership: Comcast is rolling out a low-latency internet experience in partnership with Meta, Nvidia and Valve to enhance experiences like gaming and VR. This shows some continued investment in the XR space, albeit from a network perspective.

5. Customer Satisfaction Trends

• Wireless Customer Care Decline: Overall satisfaction with wireless customer care has declined for the first time in two years, particularly in-store and website experiences, according to J.D. Power. They attribute this to "complex" product offerings.
• T-Mobile Leads Mobile Network Operators: T-Mobile ranks highest in customer satisfaction among mobile network operators for the 15th consecutive volume. The study gives them a score of 837.
• Spectrum Mobile Leads Full-Service MVNOs: Spectrum Mobile ranks highest among full-service MVNOs, with a score of 845.
• Consumer Cellular Leads Value MVNOs:

Thank you for listening!
-Mario Mejia