The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Not Had a Dramatic Effect on Fixed Broadband Operators in Developed Markets

The pandemic is mild so far, but operators should promote high-speed fibre plans because the value of good-quality home broadband connectivity has never been higher in consumers’ minds.

The coronavirus pandemic has introduced uncertainty into fixed broadband operators’ businesses because consumers’ lives have been dramatically affected. Before operators released their 2Q 2020 results, it was not clear to what extent the pandemic would affect them and whether the economic impact on consumer spending would outweigh any benefit from increased demand. The longer-term impact of the pandemic remains hard to predict. This comment looks at the 2Q 2020 results of developed market fixed broadband operators to understand whether the pandemic has had a positive or negative impact on subscriber growth and ASPU, and what the implications of these changes will be for future strategies.