Cable TV Executives Are Repeating Their Cord Cutting Mistakes as Customers Ditch Cable Internet in Cord Cutting 2.0 – Here Are Three Things They Can Do to Stop Cord Cutting 2.0
By Luke Bouma, Cord Cutting News - April 30, 2025
https://cordcuttersnews.com/cable-tv-executives-are-repeating-their-cord-cutting-mistakes-as-customers-ditch-cable-internet-in-cord-cutting-2-0-here-are-three-things-they-can-do-to-stop-cord-cutting-2-0/
In the early 2010s, cable TV executives faced a seismic shift as millions of customers began “cord cutting,” abandoning traditional cable TV subscriptions for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Dubbed Cord-Cutting 1.0, this movement caught the industry off-guard, with executives slow to adapt to consumer demands for affordability, flexibility, and on-demand content. A decade later, a new wave—Cord Cutting 2.0—is emerging, and cable TV executives are repeating the same missteps. This time, customers are not just ditching cable TV but also cable internet, opting for alternatives like 5G Home Internet and fiber providers. The failure to learn from past mistakes risks shrinking the cable industry’s customer base to a fraction of its former size.
Cord Cutting 2.0 is driven by growing consumer frustration with cable internet providers’ practices, including data caps, relentless upselling to faster plans, and high costs. Just as cable TV customers grew tired of bloated channel bundles and rising bills, internet customers are now rebelling against restrictive data limits and expensive plans that don’t align with their needs. For example, many cable providers impose data caps of 1TB or less, charging overage fees or pushing customers to pricier unlimited plans. Meanwhile, competitors like T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet and Google Fiber offer unlimited data at lower price points, appealing to cost-conscious consumers. …
:
Three Steps to Reverse Cord Cutting 2.0
There is still time for cable TV executives to stem the tide of Cord Cutting 2.0, but it requires a fundamental shift in strategy. Here are three critical steps to retain customers and rebuild trust:
1. Eliminate Data Caps for All Customers
:
2. Prioritize Affordable Plans Instead of Gig Speeds
:
3. Stop Upselling Expensive Plans
:
:
Cord Cutting 2.0 is a wake-up call for cable TV executives, who risk losing their internet customer base just as they lost TV subscribers. The industry’s failure to adapt to consumer demands for affordability and flexibility echoes the mistakes of a decade ago. Without swift action—eliminating data caps, focusing on sufficient speeds, and ending aggressive upselling—cable providers could see their market share erode further. ….