Top pay-TV companies lost 665K subs in worst Q2 ever, according to official Leichtman tally

In the most comprehensive assessment yet of second quarter subscriber metrics, Leichtman Research said the pay-TV industry lost 665,000 subscribers. 

The measurement of the top 11 pay-TV operators exceeded last year’s record attrition of 545,000 lost video subscribers. Leichtman’s tally accounts for more than 93 million pay-TV customers covering 95 percent of the market. 

With once fast-growing platforms like telco operator AT&T U-verse and satellite service Dish Network in full recession, cord cutting is accelerating. 

"Over the past year, the top pay-TV providers (including DISH's Sling TV) lost about 705,000 subscribers -- compared to a loss of about 380,000 over the prior year,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman.

U-verse’s 391,000 lost subscribers in the second quarter were the most lost in a quarter by any provider. Ever. The entire telco sector, which gained 10,000 subs in the second quarter of 2015, lost 500,000 TV customers in Q2 2016.

Notably, however, losses among the top six operators slowed to 225,000 compared to 340,000 lost in the second quarter of 2015. 

With AT&T moving subscribers over from U-verse and marketing DirecTV aggressively, the satellite platform had its biggest growth quarter since the first quarter of 2009, adding 342,000 customers. 

For more:
- read this Leichtman Research press release

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