OneTRAK Analyst Blogs

Qwest-CenturyLink combine

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:00:00 PDT

Merger raises video, wireless strategy questions

Q1: FiOS falters, U-verse holds steady

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:00:00 PDT

AT&T, Verizon Q4 a study in contrasts

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:00:00 PST

Quarterly results show Verizon’s FiOS growth slow, even as AT&T’s U-verse expanded. And wireless finished strong despite growing concerns for voice revenue declines.

Comcast-NBC deal, wireless data usage top UBS conference

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:00:00 PST

Talk at the annual UBS analyst conference ran the gamut from the impact of Comcast’s NBC acquisition and the possibility of smaller cable TV packages to usage based data pricing for AT&T wireless services.

Surprise Dish 3Q sub additions a matter of promotion

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:00 PST

Reversing a losing trend, Dish Network added 241,000 subscribers, well ahead of DirecTV’s 136,000 – and it has big promotions to thank for the about-face.

MSOs' results don't march in lock step any more

karenb@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:00 PST

The third quarter was marked by divergence among cable operators, as Comcast improved video growth while Cablevision declined.

AT&T, Verizon 3Q: Wireless booms, wireline swoons

karenb@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:00 PST

Earnings metrics for the nation’s two largest telcos included so-so wireline data and video gains, even as the wireless units continued to fly high.

AT&T’s Stankey reveals new bandwidth math

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 PDT

AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey defended U-verse’s ability to support multiple video and data feeds using copper line at an analyst conference this week, saying that usage patterns showed less multitasking than one might expect.

Cable ops air wireless strategies

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 PDT

Several key MSOs detailed their strategies for wireless service rollouts at an investor’s conference this week, and the talk was mostly focused on data.

DISH serves up Q2 sub gains

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The struggling DBS provider accomplished something it hasn’t done in five quarters – it saw subscriber growth with 26,000 net additions.

DirecTV second quarter far from second-rate

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The nation’s largest DBS provider had another strong quarter with 224,000 net adds. Meanwhile, Comcast’s data subscriber growth slows.

Contrasts abound for AT&T, Verizon 2Q

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The nation’s two largest telcos reported vastly different second quarters, as Verizon saw strong growth in FiOS but lukewarm results for wireless, even as AT&T’s U-verse growth flagged and its iPhone-driven wireless unit boomed.

Verizon bumps FiOS speed, price; AT&T boosts DVR

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The two telcos are trying to trump cable competitors, as Verizon boosted its FiOS speeds including the upstream data rate, while AT&T upgraded its whole-home DVR.

It's TV Everywhere, but it's not for everyone

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PDT

Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s joint project to create an online subscription TV distribution platform raises familiar questions about free versus restricted content strategies.

Signs of Q2 Trouble?

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:00:00 PDT

DirecTV’s Chase Carey and AT&T’s Randall Stephenson hinted at analysts conferences last week that business isn’t getting better, potentially setting low expectations for second quarter results.

It’s up versus down for DBS players

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The first quarter could not have been more of a contrast among the satellite competitors, as DISH’s 90,000 lost subscribers compared to DirecTV’s 460,000 gains.

FiOS, FTTN shine for telcos Verizon, Qwest

karenb@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PDT

Bell operators Verizon and Qwest issued earnings that showed strong growth for their next-generation fiber services, but there were hints that Verizon might be scaling back that rollout.

Q1 results a contrast for TWC, Comcast

karenb@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PDT

The nation’s two largest MSOs’ first quarter earnings were a study in contrasts in RGU growth, but both showed strong revenue performance.

AT&T Q1 sees U-verse glow, wireless pale

karenb@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PDT

AT&T was beaming over its 284,000 U-verse TV additions and slower line loss rate, but the wireless unit posted a decidedly unspectacular quarter despite the iPhone’s influence.

DISH goes cold in Q4

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:00:00 PST

Miserly marketing, piracy and continued customer service problems were blamed for DISH Network’s 102,000 net subscriber loss in the quarter, even as the end of the AT&T Inc. partnership looms.

Clearwire clarifies market rollouts

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:00:00 PST

Executives used the fourth-quarter earnings for Clearwire were not as much to review of the results but outline the company’s new market rollout schedule for 2009 and 2010.

Cable Internet video strategy gains some definition

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:00:00 PST

Recent indications are the cable operators and cable networks are moving toward an online pay video site, but the jury is still out whether this will replace existing online video plays.

Cablevision, Mediacom a study of contrasting MSOs

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:00:00 PST

The fourth quarter was a tale of two MSOs, with both posting solid revenue gains but different trends in subscriber growth.

Comcast financials hold up despite RGU slowdown

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:00:00 PST

Comcast posted the seventh consecutive quarter loss for video subscribers but the nation's biggest cable company also saw some growth in key areas.

Q4 sub ads in high resolution for DirecTV

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:00:00 PST

The satellite provider exceeded analysts’ predictions with 301,000 net subscriber gains, the result of aggressive promotional discounts and perhaps growing consumer perceptions regarding its HD programming strength.

Cable nets weather cold Q4

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:00:00 PST

Withering ad sales, falling DVD sales and rising costs dragged Disney, Scripps and News Corp. down – but is the economy or shifting consumer habits to blame?

Time Warner Cable Q4 results a harbinger?

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:00:00 PST

Higher basic sub loss plus lower voice and data growth for Time Warner Cable may be the first sign that the final quarter of 2008 will be no friend to the cable industry.

Internet video: Ready for Prime Time?

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

New research indicates that while usage grows for Internet video, it may not be the pay TV killer some have predicted.

FiOS, U-verse boom in Q4

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

AT&T and Verizon’s Q4 results included big gains for their flagship data and TV services, overshadowing line losses and dwindling vanilla DSL performance.

Reports for the CES conference

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

Our analysts discuss 3D devices and their potential impact on the cable industry.

CES: Smaller, greener and more Web connected

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

Big was not in at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but there were plenty of Internet-connected TVs, hosted applications for TV and wireless devices, 3D and environmentally friendly designs in evidence on the show floors.

VoIP growth showing signs of recession slowdown?

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

It was business as usual for most of the presenters at last week’s Citigroup investment conference, but comments from Mediacom CFO Mark Stephan did hint at a slowdown in VoIP growth even as other product lines continue to perform strongly.

Telecom players cope with bad economy

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:00:00 PST

Telecom and cable representatives at an analyst conference last week were outlining their game plans to deal with the recession, ranging from spending cutbacks and lower-cost speed tiers.

Is cable’s wireless strategy Clear?

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:00:00 PST

The newly formed Clearwire is moving forward with WiMAX buildout plans and a new Clear brand, but what isn’t as certain is whether its MSO wholesale partners will gain a new product weapon or just another competitor.

AT&T ups data ante with 18 Mbps tier

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:00:00 PST

The telco’s new 18 Mbps/1.5 Mbps data tier is gaining a lot of attention, but it also is drawing a lot of questions about actual throughputs and the interplay with HD TV streams into the household.

Recession didn’t ding cable in Q3

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:00:00 PST

The major cable operators posted generally strong Q3 earnings including increases in digital TV subscriber additions and revenue even as VoIP and data growth starts to slow.

DBS players post disappointing 3Q numbers

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:00:00 PST

DirecTV came in below customer addition estimates, while DISH Network lost subscribers in a quarter that also was marked by increases in revenue and ARPU.

Comcast Q3 strong despite basic sub loss

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:00:00 PST

The first of the major MSOs to report, Comcast issued Q3 numbers that showed strong digital, broadband and VoIP gains – albeit at levels that don’t quite equal last year’s performance.

Q3 still ugly for line loss, but DSL improves

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

Telcos Verizon and Qwest earnings showed improved DSL growth, offset by continuing steep declines in voice lines – even as rural providers Embarq Corp. and CenturyTel Inc. announce plans to merge.

U-Verse Posts Big 3Q Numbers

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

AT&T’s fiber-to-the-node TV and DSL service had a record quarter with 232,000 new subscriber added, but that message was drowned out by the Apple iPhone’s stellar quarter.

3Q So Far Dodges Blow From Economic Downturn

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

With strong sales of Apple iPhones and healthy earnings among new media companies, it appears the impact of the economic implosion may not hit until the fourth quarter.

It’s good news, bad news for cable Tru2Way rollout efforts

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

The week saw the first rollout of Tru2Way cable-ready TV sets from Panasonic, even as Cox and Time Warner Cable faced fines for switched-digital video channel conflicts with unidirectional CableCard boxes.

FiOS soups up TV product with interactive widgets

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

Verizon adds sports, news and weather to FiOS TV menu, but will customers find it appetizing?

JD Power Survey Paints Strong Picture for FiOS, U-verse

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

A customer satisfaction survey released by the venerable consumer ratings company gave top marks to telco TV products, while cable fell into the bottom of the rankings.

Xohm Zooms Into Market Launch

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:00:00 PDT

Sprint Nextel’s much anticipated WiMAX service debuted in Baltimore, but there are still lingering questions about how it will evolve, and whether it can survive.

HD streams, Startover and Sunday Ticket top analyst conference

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:00:00 PDT

The action at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference in New York offered had cable, telco and satellite executives talking about HD, the competition and new ways to do battle.

Cablers air network DVR, Canoe plans

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:00:00 PDT

Cable presentations at an analyst conference last week included discussion of pending network-based DVR rollouts, but there are still questions as to how programming rights and the Canoe advanced advertising project will play into these services.

All-digital revolution rides into Wilmington

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:00:00 PDT

The North Carolina city of Wilmington is the first to go all-digital, and so far it is apparently not triggering a wave of over-the-air TV viewers to sign up for pay TV, according to Time Warner Cable.

Q2 another tale of two satellite providers

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:00:00 PDT

Once again, the two satellite providers aired contrasting quarterly performance, with DISH Network’s first-ever customer loss set against steady growth for DirecTV Inc.

Q2 strong for Time Warner Cable, Charter

matts@onetouchintelligence.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:00:00 PDT

The second quarter continued to show positive cable performance trends, as Time Warner posts strong RGU adds while Charter’s digital TV growth boomed.