According to recent research by Leichtman Research Group (LRG), the top cable broadband providers have a 54 percent share of the broadband market and roughly a 5.1 million subscriber advantage over the competing telcos.

LRG found that the 19 largest cable and telco providers in the United States have about 94 percent of the broadband market . In this year’s third quarter, there were 2.1 million net new high-speed Internet subscribers compared to 2.6 million in the same quarter last year.

The top broadband providers now account for over 60 million subscribers – with cable companies having 32.6 million broadband subscribers, and telephone companies having over 27.5 million subscribers. The largest cable and telephone providers essentially split the total net broadband additions in the quarter, which LRG said marked the first time in three years that cable has attained as many net additions as the telephone providers.
   
“Through the first three quarters of the year, net broadband additions are down 15 percent from last year’s record setting pace,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, in a statement. “However, the top broadband providers are still on-track to add over nine million subscribers in 2007 – a total that is very respectable given the maturing state of the broadband market.”

Comcast and Time Warner Cable added 450,000 and 224,000 new broadband subscribers, respectively, in the third quarter, while Cox was third with 114,000.

On the telco side, AT&T brought in 398,000 new high-speed Internet customers, while Verizon added 288,000 and Qwest added 100,000.