GITNUXREPORT 2026

Cable Industry Statistics

The cable industry is facing declining revenue and subscribers as viewers shift to streaming services.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 27, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

42% of U.S. households cut the cord from cable TV in 2023, up from 35% in 2022.

Statistic 2

65% of cord-cutters cited cost savings as primary reason in 2023 surveys.

Statistic 3

Average cable bill rose 6% to $217/month in 2023, accelerating cuts.

Statistic 4

78% of millennials have no pay-TV subscription, per 2023 Deloitte study.

Statistic 5

Streaming-only households reached 41% of U.S. TV homes in 2023.

Statistic 6

52% of former cable subs returned to pay-TV within 2 years, 2023 data.

Statistic 7

Sports content retention kept 28% of cable subs paying in 2023.

Statistic 8

Bundled cable-broadband subs churned at 1.2% monthly vs 2.5% standalone video in 2023.

Statistic 9

61% of consumers under 35 prefer ad-supported streaming over cable in 2023.

Statistic 10

Cable satisfaction scores dropped to 68/100 in 2023 J.D. Power study.

Statistic 11

35% of households added vMVPD after cutting cable in 2023.

Statistic 12

Regional sports network blackouts affected 12 million cable subs in 2023.

Statistic 13

47% of cord-nevers (Gen Z) unaware of cable TV options in 2023 survey.

Statistic 14

Price sensitivity led to 22% trial of free streaming trials post-cable cut in 2023.

Statistic 15

Hispanic households cut cable at 38% rate vs 42% national average in 2023.

Statistic 16

70% of cable dropouts cited too many ads as reason in 2023.

Statistic 17

Over-the-air antenna adoption rose 15% among ex-cable subs in 2023.

Statistic 18

Rural cable retention 75% vs 55% urban due to broadband limits in 2023.

Statistic 19

29% of seniors over 65 remain loyal to cable TV in 2023.

Statistic 20

Password sharing crackdowns brought back 5% of cord-cutters to legit services 2023.

Statistic 21

Comcast held 24.5% market share of U.S. cable subscribers in 2023.

Statistic 22

Charter Communications commanded 22.1% of video market share end-2023.

Statistic 23

DirecTV and Dish together had 18.3% pay-TV market share in 2023.

Statistic 24

vMVPDs captured 15.2% of pay-TV market by Q4 2023.

Statistic 25

Cox Communications 6.8% share of national cable subs in 2023.

Statistic 26

Altice USA held 4.2% market share with 2.6M video subs.

Statistic 27

Cable ONE's market share in its footprint was 35% for video in 2023.

Statistic 28

WOW! Internet had 1.1% national video market share in 2023.

Statistic 29

Streaming services overtook cable with 38% household share in 2023.

Statistic 30

YouTube TV grew to 8 million subs, 10.6% pay-TV share in 2023.

Statistic 31

Hulu + Live TV at 4.1 million subs, 5.4% market share end-2023.

Statistic 32

Sling TV market share slipped to 1.8% with 2.3M subs in 2023.

Statistic 33

FuboTV reached 1.55 million subs, 2.1% share in 2023.

Statistic 34

Philo held niche 0.9% share with 800k subs in 2023.

Statistic 35

Traditional cable MSOs lost 4% market share to vMVPDs in 2023.

Statistic 36

Dish Network's market share fell to 7.2% in 2023.

Statistic 37

Mediacom 1.7% national share in 2023 video market.

Statistic 38

Breezeline regional share 28% in Northeast markets 2023.

Statistic 39

In 2023, the U.S. cable and satellite TV industry generated approximately $102.5 billion in total revenue, down 4.2% from 2022.

Statistic 40

Comcast's cable communications segment reported $57.0 billion in revenue for 2023, representing 55% of total company revenue.

Statistic 41

Charter Communications achieved $41.7 billion in cable revenue in 2023, with residential revenue growing 1.1% year-over-year.

Statistic 42

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for cable operators reached $133.42 in Q4 2023, up 2.3% from the previous year.

Statistic 43

Cable networks advertising revenue totaled $18.2 billion in 2023, declining 8.5% due to linear TV shifts.

Statistic 44

Altice USA's cable segment revenue fell 3.8% to $8.1 billion in 2023 amid cord-cutting pressures.

Statistic 45

Cox Communications generated $13.7 billion in video and broadband revenue in 2023.

Statistic 46

The top 10 cable MSOs accounted for 85% of industry revenue totaling $92 billion in 2023.

Statistic 47

Cable one-way video revenue dropped 12% to $4.5 billion across MSOs in 2023.

Statistic 48

Pay-TV affiliate fees reached $15.8 billion for cable networks in 2023, up 3% YoY.

Statistic 49

WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone revenue from video services was $1.2 billion in 2023, down 10%.

Statistic 50

Cable industry EBITDA margins averaged 42% in 2023, driven by broadband growth offsetting video losses.

Statistic 51

DirecTV's revenue from cable-affiliated programming was $10.3 billion in 2023.

Statistic 52

Cablefax Daily reported cable ad spend at $16.4 billion for 2023, a 7% decline.

Statistic 53

U.S. multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) revenue hit $110 billion in 2023.

Statistic 54

Liberty Broadband's franchise fees contributed $450 million to cable revenue in 2023.

Statistic 55

Cable programmer carriage fees grew to $12.9 billion in 2023 for top networks.

Statistic 56

Mediacom's video revenue declined 9.2% to $1.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 57

Industry-wide retransmission consent fees totaled $4.7 billion in 2023, up 5%.

Statistic 58

Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband) cable revenue was $1.05 billion in 2023.

Statistic 59

U.S. cable households numbered 74.3 million in Q4 2023, down 1.5 million YoY.

Statistic 60

Comcast lost 1.3 million video subscribers in 2023, ending with 13.7 million.

Statistic 61

Charter ended 2023 with 14.5 million video customers, down 1.2 million for the year.

Statistic 62

Pay-TV penetration in U.S. households fell to 64.1% in 2023 from 65.8% in 2022.

Statistic 63

Cable-only subscribers totaled 45.2 million in Q4 2023, a 2.1% decline YoY.

Statistic 64

Altice USA video subs dropped to 2.6 million by end-2023, loss of 400k.

Statistic 65

Average monthly cable churn rate was 1.68% in 2023 across major MSOs.

Statistic 66

Traditional MVPD subs (cable/sat) at 62.8 million in 2023, down 4.5 million YoY.

Statistic 67

Cox video subscribers numbered 4.2 million in 2023, declining 8%.

Statistic 68

Virtual MVPDs gained 2.1 million subs in 2023, reaching 13.5 million total.

Statistic 69

Cable one-way subs fell 11% to 1.8 million in 2023.

Statistic 70

WOW! lost 140k video subs in 2023, ending with 700k.

Statistic 71

Pay-TV households with broadband averaged 92% penetration in 2023.

Statistic 72

DirecTV traditional subs at 12.9 million end-2023, down 1.8 million.

Statistic 73

Median tenure for cable subscribers was 8.2 years in 2023 survey.

Statistic 74

Multichannel video subs total 75.4 million in mid-2023, per FCC data.

Statistic 75

Liberty Latin America cable subs steady at 2.1 million in 2023.

Statistic 76

Mediacom video customers at 1.1 million end-2023, down 100k.

Statistic 77

Breezeline video subs declined to 250k in 2023.

Statistic 78

In 2023, 68% of U.S. cable networks upgraded to DOCSIS 3.1, enabling gigabit speeds.

Statistic 79

Cable operators deployed DOCSIS 4.0 trials to 15 million homes passed by end-2023.

Statistic 80

Mid-split upgrades on 40% of HFC networks completed in 2023 for symmetric DOCSIS.

Statistic 81

Comcast's Xfinity network reached 1 Gbps symmetric to 25 million homes in 2023.

Statistic 82

Charter's Spectrum network had 85% DOCSIS 3.1 coverage, 30 million homes in 2023.

Statistic 83

Cable industry invested $8 billion in network capex for fiber deep in 2023.

Statistic 84

Extended Spectrum DOCSIS deployed on 12% of U.S. cable plants by 2023.

Statistic 85

Cox launched low-latency streaming tech to 5 million subs in 2023.

Statistic 86

4K UHD channel availability on cable reached 150 networks in 2023.

Statistic 87

Cable MSOs activated 2.5 million DOCSIS 4.0 modems in 2023 pilots.

Statistic 88

Full Duplex DOCSIS tested in 20 markets, covering 10M homes by 2023.

Statistic 89

Cable's Remote PHY (RPHY) nodes deployed numbered 150,000 in 2023.

Statistic 90

Altice USA fiber-to-the-home passed 1 million locations in 2023.

Statistic 91

WOW! upgraded 70% of network to DOCSIS 3.1 speeds over 1 Gbps in 2023.

Statistic 92

Cable ONE implemented AI-driven network optimization in 85% of markets 2023.

Statistic 93

Industry-wide IPv6 adoption on cable networks hit 92% in 2023.

Statistic 94

Mediacom deployed virtual CMTS to 40% of footprint in 2023.

Statistic 95

55% of cable households had smart home integration via cable gateways in 2023.

Statistic 96

Breezeline FTTH to 500k homes, 25% of footprint in 2023.

Statistic 97

Cable industry 5G fixed wireless backhaul trials in 15 MSO markets 2023.

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While the cable industry still generates over $100 billion a year, a closer look at the 2023 numbers reveals a dramatic story of shrinking subscribers, rising bills, and a relentless shift toward streaming that is fundamentally rewriting the rules of television.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, the U.S. cable and satellite TV industry generated approximately $102.5 billion in total revenue, down 4.2% from 2022.
Comcast's cable communications segment reported $57.0 billion in revenue for 2023, representing 55% of total company revenue.
Charter Communications achieved $41.7 billion in cable revenue in 2023, with residential revenue growing 1.1% year-over-year.
U.S. cable households numbered 74.3 million in Q4 2023, down 1.5 million YoY.
Comcast lost 1.3 million video subscribers in 2023, ending with 13.7 million.
Charter ended 2023 with 14.5 million video customers, down 1.2 million for the year.
Comcast held 24.5% market share of U.S. cable subscribers in 2023.
Charter Communications commanded 22.1% of video market share end-2023.
DirecTV and Dish together had 18.3% pay-TV market share in 2023.
In 2023, 68% of U.S. cable networks upgraded to DOCSIS 3.1, enabling gigabit speeds.
Cable operators deployed DOCSIS 4.0 trials to 15 million homes passed by end-2023.
Mid-split upgrades on 40% of HFC networks completed in 2023 for symmetric DOCSIS.
42% of U.S. households cut the cord from cable TV in 2023, up from 35% in 2022.
65% of cord-cutters cited cost savings as primary reason in 2023 surveys.
Average cable bill rose 6% to $217/month in 2023, accelerating cuts.

The cable industry is facing declining revenue and subscribers as viewers shift to streaming services.

Consumer Behavior

42% of U.S. households cut the cord from cable TV in 2023, up from 35% in 2022.
65% of cord-cutters cited cost savings as primary reason in 2023 surveys.
Average cable bill rose 6% to $217/month in 2023, accelerating cuts.
78% of millennials have no pay-TV subscription, per 2023 Deloitte study.
Streaming-only households reached 41% of U.S. TV homes in 2023.
52% of former cable subs returned to pay-TV within 2 years, 2023 data.
Sports content retention kept 28% of cable subs paying in 2023.
Bundled cable-broadband subs churned at 1.2% monthly vs 2.5% standalone video in 2023.
61% of consumers under 35 prefer ad-supported streaming over cable in 2023.
Cable satisfaction scores dropped to 68/100 in 2023 J.D. Power study.
35% of households added vMVPD after cutting cable in 2023.
Regional sports network blackouts affected 12 million cable subs in 2023.
47% of cord-nevers (Gen Z) unaware of cable TV options in 2023 survey.
Price sensitivity led to 22% trial of free streaming trials post-cable cut in 2023.
Hispanic households cut cable at 38% rate vs 42% national average in 2023.
70% of cable dropouts cited too many ads as reason in 2023.
Over-the-air antenna adoption rose 15% among ex-cable subs in 2023.
Rural cable retention 75% vs 55% urban due to broadband limits in 2023.
29% of seniors over 65 remain loyal to cable TV in 2023.
Password sharing crackdowns brought back 5% of cord-cutters to legit services 2023.

Consumer Behavior Interpretation

The cable industry is frantically trying to plug a leaking dam with sports and bundles, but a flood of younger viewers, ad-weary consumers, and relentless price hikes have turned the stream into a stampede, proving that while some customers boomerang back, the era of the two-hundred-dollar channel package is being buried under an avalanche of cheaper, more convenient options.

Market Share

Comcast held 24.5% market share of U.S. cable subscribers in 2023.
Charter Communications commanded 22.1% of video market share end-2023.
DirecTV and Dish together had 18.3% pay-TV market share in 2023.
vMVPDs captured 15.2% of pay-TV market by Q4 2023.
Cox Communications 6.8% share of national cable subs in 2023.
Altice USA held 4.2% market share with 2.6M video subs.
Cable ONE's market share in its footprint was 35% for video in 2023.
WOW! Internet had 1.1% national video market share in 2023.
Streaming services overtook cable with 38% household share in 2023.
YouTube TV grew to 8 million subs, 10.6% pay-TV share in 2023.
Hulu + Live TV at 4.1 million subs, 5.4% market share end-2023.
Sling TV market share slipped to 1.8% with 2.3M subs in 2023.
FuboTV reached 1.55 million subs, 2.1% share in 2023.
Philo held niche 0.9% share with 800k subs in 2023.
Traditional cable MSOs lost 4% market share to vMVPDs in 2023.
Dish Network's market share fell to 7.2% in 2023.
Mediacom 1.7% national share in 2023 video market.
Breezeline regional share 28% in Northeast markets 2023.

Market Share Interpretation

The cable giants are now squabbling over a shrinking kingdom, as the empire of streaming has not only stormed the gates but comfortably moved into 38% of the living rooms, leaving the old guard to fight over the remaining furniture.

Revenue and Financials

In 2023, the U.S. cable and satellite TV industry generated approximately $102.5 billion in total revenue, down 4.2% from 2022.
Comcast's cable communications segment reported $57.0 billion in revenue for 2023, representing 55% of total company revenue.
Charter Communications achieved $41.7 billion in cable revenue in 2023, with residential revenue growing 1.1% year-over-year.
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for cable operators reached $133.42 in Q4 2023, up 2.3% from the previous year.
Cable networks advertising revenue totaled $18.2 billion in 2023, declining 8.5% due to linear TV shifts.
Altice USA's cable segment revenue fell 3.8% to $8.1 billion in 2023 amid cord-cutting pressures.
Cox Communications generated $13.7 billion in video and broadband revenue in 2023.
The top 10 cable MSOs accounted for 85% of industry revenue totaling $92 billion in 2023.
Cable one-way video revenue dropped 12% to $4.5 billion across MSOs in 2023.
Pay-TV affiliate fees reached $15.8 billion for cable networks in 2023, up 3% YoY.
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone revenue from video services was $1.2 billion in 2023, down 10%.
Cable industry EBITDA margins averaged 42% in 2023, driven by broadband growth offsetting video losses.
DirecTV's revenue from cable-affiliated programming was $10.3 billion in 2023.
Cablefax Daily reported cable ad spend at $16.4 billion for 2023, a 7% decline.
U.S. multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) revenue hit $110 billion in 2023.
Liberty Broadband's franchise fees contributed $450 million to cable revenue in 2023.
Cable programmer carriage fees grew to $12.9 billion in 2023 for top networks.
Mediacom's video revenue declined 9.2% to $1.1 billion in 2023.
Industry-wide retransmission consent fees totaled $4.7 billion in 2023, up 5%.
Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband) cable revenue was $1.05 billion in 2023.

Revenue and Financials Interpretation

The cable industry is a leaky ship where they're frantically patching the holes in the hull with broadband duct tape while the passengers keep jumping overboard, but they're still somehow charging the remaining ones more for a better seat.

Subscriber Metrics

U.S. cable households numbered 74.3 million in Q4 2023, down 1.5 million YoY.
Comcast lost 1.3 million video subscribers in 2023, ending with 13.7 million.
Charter ended 2023 with 14.5 million video customers, down 1.2 million for the year.
Pay-TV penetration in U.S. households fell to 64.1% in 2023 from 65.8% in 2022.
Cable-only subscribers totaled 45.2 million in Q4 2023, a 2.1% decline YoY.
Altice USA video subs dropped to 2.6 million by end-2023, loss of 400k.
Average monthly cable churn rate was 1.68% in 2023 across major MSOs.
Traditional MVPD subs (cable/sat) at 62.8 million in 2023, down 4.5 million YoY.
Cox video subscribers numbered 4.2 million in 2023, declining 8%.
Virtual MVPDs gained 2.1 million subs in 2023, reaching 13.5 million total.
Cable one-way subs fell 11% to 1.8 million in 2023.
WOW! lost 140k video subs in 2023, ending with 700k.
Pay-TV households with broadband averaged 92% penetration in 2023.
DirecTV traditional subs at 12.9 million end-2023, down 1.8 million.
Median tenure for cable subscribers was 8.2 years in 2023 survey.
Multichannel video subs total 75.4 million in mid-2023, per FCC data.
Liberty Latin America cable subs steady at 2.1 million in 2023.
Mediacom video customers at 1.1 million end-2023, down 100k.
Breezeline video subs declined to 250k in 2023.

Subscriber Metrics Interpretation

The cable industry is in the midst of a long, cord-cutting divorce, yet it stubbornly remains in the same house with its ex, broadband, because the Wi-Fi password is non-negotiable.

Technology Adoption

In 2023, 68% of U.S. cable networks upgraded to DOCSIS 3.1, enabling gigabit speeds.
Cable operators deployed DOCSIS 4.0 trials to 15 million homes passed by end-2023.
Mid-split upgrades on 40% of HFC networks completed in 2023 for symmetric DOCSIS.
Comcast's Xfinity network reached 1 Gbps symmetric to 25 million homes in 2023.
Charter's Spectrum network had 85% DOCSIS 3.1 coverage, 30 million homes in 2023.
Cable industry invested $8 billion in network capex for fiber deep in 2023.
Extended Spectrum DOCSIS deployed on 12% of U.S. cable plants by 2023.
Cox launched low-latency streaming tech to 5 million subs in 2023.
4K UHD channel availability on cable reached 150 networks in 2023.
Cable MSOs activated 2.5 million DOCSIS 4.0 modems in 2023 pilots.
Full Duplex DOCSIS tested in 20 markets, covering 10M homes by 2023.
Cable's Remote PHY (RPHY) nodes deployed numbered 150,000 in 2023.
Altice USA fiber-to-the-home passed 1 million locations in 2023.
WOW! upgraded 70% of network to DOCSIS 3.1 speeds over 1 Gbps in 2023.
Cable ONE implemented AI-driven network optimization in 85% of markets 2023.
Industry-wide IPv6 adoption on cable networks hit 92% in 2023.
Mediacom deployed virtual CMTS to 40% of footprint in 2023.
55% of cable households had smart home integration via cable gateways in 2023.
Breezeline FTTH to 500k homes, 25% of footprint in 2023.
Cable industry 5G fixed wireless backhaul trials in 15 MSO markets 2023.

Technology Adoption Interpretation

The cable industry spent 2023 frantically hammering its aging coaxial networks into a state of fiber-like respectability, proving that with enough billions and technological duct tape, even a copper pipe can be convinced to carry the future.

Sources & References

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