Washington, D.C. (November 23, 2008) -- In a November 13 commentary, I wrote
here that Comcast's strategy to promote its HD VOD service rather than adding actual high-def channels would backfire.
"Comcast needs to get its act together and start adding some real HD channels -- or it will find it increasingly difficult to add real customers," I wrote, noting that DIRECTV and Dish Network's high-def lineups include twice as many high-def networks. (Comcast has between 30 and 40 HD channels in most markets.)
Well, Wall Street analyst Tom Eagan apparently agrees with my assessment. In an article in this week's Multichannel News, Eagen says he has lowered his fourth-quarter subscriber estimate for the nation's largest cable operator.
Why?
"Eagan believes that the decline was the result of several factors — increases in bad debt and housing foreclosures have led to involuntary churn and its lower number of HDTV channels has caused some customers to switch to satellite," Multichannel News writes.
Eagen, who works for Collins Stewart, an investment banking group, says he believes Comcast could lose as many as 125,000 basic customers in the fourth quarter. The cable operator lost 147,000 in the third quarter, Multichannel News reports.
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"Comcast needs to get its act together and start adding some real HD channels -- or it will find it increasingly difficult to add real customers," I wrote, noting that DIRECTV and Dish Network's high-def lineups include twice as many high-def networks. (Comcast has between 30 and 40 HD channels in most markets.)
Well, Wall Street analyst Tom Eagan apparently agrees with my assessment. In an article in this week's Multichannel News, Eagen says he has lowered his fourth-quarter subscriber estimate for the nation's largest cable operator.
Why?
"Eagan believes that the decline was the result of several factors — increases in bad debt and housing foreclosures have led to involuntary churn and its lower number of HDTV channels has caused some customers to switch to satellite," Multichannel News writes.
Eagen, who works for Collins Stewart, an investment banking group, says he believes Comcast could lose as many as 125,000 basic customers in the fourth quarter. The cable operator lost 147,000 in the third quarter, Multichannel News reports.
Comment on this article!
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