If you are shopping your internet plan on price, you are not alone. In a poll of 1,000 U.S. residents conducted in early September, Bloomberg Intelligence found roughly a third are considering changing providers. Nearly half of that group is hunting for a better deal.
Among people likely to move, 27% said they want a lower monthly bill, 13% are looking for better value, and 8% are ready to switch after a price hike or the end of a promotional offer. Only 10% of potential switchers said faster speeds were their main reason.
The takeaway from analysts Geetha Ranganathan and John Butler: "With consumers increasingly treating broadband as a value purchase, cable may have to compete more heavily on price and packaging rather than simply speed, putting its traditional average revenue per user-led growth model under pressure."
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Cable operators such as Charter Communications and Comcast are contending with fixed-wireless plans from major mobile carriers that use excess spectrum to deliver lower-priced home internet. Those same carriers are putting money into broader fiber builds and pitching bundles that tie mobile and home internet together. That strategy appears to be resonating.
Among potential switchers surveyed, 49% said they would consider fixed wireless, 47% would consider fiber, and 23% would consider cable. The brands top of mind for many of those shoppers were AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, far ahead of the Xfinity label from Comcast and Charter's Spectrum lineup.
In a hypothetical scenario, 61% of respondents said they would consider signing up for a Starlink wireless plan, though many said they would want a discount.
For everyday budgets, the shift is clear: shoppers are lining up deals, bundles and promos rather than chasing top-line speeds. If you are weighing options, the market is tilting toward more low-cost wireless and fiber choices, and cable is having to respond on price and packaging.
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