BLOG — Sep 4, 2025
Cable Averages $20 More Than Fiber on Monthly Consumer Bills
By Mau Rodriguez and John Fletcher
For certain tiers, fiber is still the more affordable option against cable.
According to our list of select operators, fiber operators offered an average of $62.83 for an internet package of 500 megabits per second (Mbps), while cable sold that same tier for $82.33. The difference was $19.50 a month for the same broadband speed, which could compound to $234 annually for every household.
Cable operators generally offered 500 Mbps of stand-alone internet at a higher price. Except for Breezeline and WideOpenWest Inc., all listed cable MSOs were above the $50-mark. Service Electric Company and Mediacom Communications Corp. were the only ones to offer their service above $100. In its heyday, incumbents had the ability to dictate pricing when they were the only obvious broadband choice. Additionally, the cash flow generated by these pricing strategies would enable legacy cable ISPs to upgrade to DOCSIS 4.0 or even build out fiber footprints.
Since 2024, the average price of 500 Mbps on a cable line jumped 3.8% or was up $3 a month ($36 yearly). Mediacom's price increased the most at 50% since the first half of 2024, while Altice USA and Armstrong took it a few notches down.
Meanwhile, our list of fiber players distinguished themselves with relatively lower prices and their famously symmetrical speeds. The average was $62.83, up 6.5% since the same period last year. The jump was bigger than cable, verging on $46.02 more annually. Fiber's lower prices for 500 Mbps are presumably to be competitive, as fiber takes market share from incumbent cable multiple system operators (MSOs).
Nevertheless, heavy users, such as gamers and streamers, would normally be willing to pay a premium for fiber due to the faster upload speeds that they require daily.
US Broadband & Pay TV Trends is a regular feature from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan.