Cable companies winning broadband, losing TV
March 7, 2013
Europe’s leading cable companies score higher than their rivals in customer satisfaction with broadband service, but trail them in television service, according to research from Strategy Analytics’ ConsumerMetrix service. The report, “European Cable: Customer Satisfaction and Profiles”, found that customers of cable companies give them a net promoter satisfaction rating of 66 per cent for their broadband service but only 37 per cent for their television service. In spite of this, satisfaction with both television and broadband cable services improved during 2012, and improved significantly since 2010.
“As the Cable Congress gets under way in London this week, the European cable industry, like its US counterpart, faces the challenge of striking the right strategic balance between its highly profitable broadband services and its more marginal television activities,” notes David Mercer, VP, Digital Consumer Practice. “With poor customer satisfaction ratings on television, the industry will be under pressure to compete more effectively in this market in order to win and retain multi-play customers.”
The survey also found that cable customers are more likely than other households to own emerging technologies such as iPhones and Android smartphones. 45 per cent of cable households owned at least one Android smartphone, compared to 37 per cent of non-cable households. 12 per cent of cable households owned an iPad and 26 per cent a smart TV.