Comcast’s Third Quarter 2004 Results show that the largest cable company in the country is showing no signs of a broadband slowdown. “Our high-speed Internet service led the way, adding
over 549,000 subscribers – the highest level of quarterly high-speed Internet
additions in the Company’s history, ” CEO Brian Roberts said in a statement. The company now expects its total high-speed data aka broadband adds to be around 1.6 million – 1.7 million, up from the previous range of 1.5 million – 1.6 million.

Cox Communications says that during the quarter it added 184,446 high-speed Internet customers, the most Cox high-speed Internet customers ever added in a quarter. Cox ended the quarter with over 2.4 million high-speed Internet customers, representing year-over-year growth of 32%. In addition, the company dded 82,596 Cox Digital Telephone customers, the most Cox Digital Telephone customers ever added in a quarter. Cox ended the quarter with over 1.2 million telephone customers, representing year-over-year growth of 33%.

Now taken together, both these numbers indicate that their low-introductory pricing is working, and the company is managing to key the big bad Bells at an arms’ length. Last quarter it seemed that DSL would slow down their growth, but that clearly did not happen. The cable companies need to continue this rampant march, and hopefully build up mass so that they can blunt the FTTx impact on their business. I think next 12-18 months will be all about execution for cable companies and they better get it right.