May 13, 2024

The Biggest U.S. Telcos in the Streaming World

With streaming and advanced technologies at the forefront of the entertainment industry, it is worth noting some of the world’s biggest telcos and their partnerships, starting with those in the U.S.. By Ching Wai.

US - Telecommunication companies (or telcos) utilise various technologies to transmit information globally. These technologies include the telephone, radio and television, as well as newer technologies like wireless mobile and internet technology. T-Mobile US, Comcast Corporation, and Verizon Communications are some of the biggest telcos in the U.S. as of March 2024. Some telcos have partnered with over-the-top (OTT) media services as well, offering streaming services to patrons since 2015. Revenue from the OTTs is predicted to amount to 69 billion USD in 2024. Below is a concise list of the U.S.’s top telcos and their partnerships.

1. T-Mobile US

Market capitalization of the telco is around $195.21 billion as of March 2024. On top of the recently added streaming service Hulu, T-Mobile US has partnerships with AppleTV+, Netflix, MLB.TV, and Go5G. The telco’s total revenue in 2023 adds up to 78.56 billion USD.

2. Comcast Corporation

Market capitalization of the telco is around $171.92 billion as of March 2024. Comcast delivers content through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky. The telco’s streaming services include the streaming platform Flex, developed in partnership with Charter Communications, on top of Xumo, which it acquired in 2020. The total revenue in 2023 adds up to 121.57 billion USD.

3. Verizon Communications

Market capitalization of the telco is around $168.82 billion as of March 2024. Verizon has recently partnered with Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery’s Max to provide streaming services to patrons. Verizon’s total revenue in 2023 adds up to 133.97 billion USD.

4. AT&T Inc.

Market capitalization of the telco is around $123.92 billion as of March 2024. AT&T has partnerships with streaming services like Netflix, Twitch and Hulu. In 2023, the company achieved a total revenue of 122.43 billion USD.

5. Charter Communications

Market capitalization of the telco is around $42.99 billion as of March 2024. Charter has partnerships with Comcast, TelevisaUnivision and Disney, to offer streaming services Flex and Xumo, ViX, as well as Disney+ and ESPN+ respectively. The telco wrapped up 2023 with a total revenue of 54.61 billion USD.

The partnerships between U.S.'s telcos and streaming services continue to provide for the increasing demand for streaming content, which in turn generates increasing revenue for the telcos and OTTs. Despite this, the ever-changing competitive nature of the entertainment market creates the need for strong analysis and understanding of consumer behaviour and trends, so that telcos and OTTs can avoid hasty decisions and initiatives that might backfire instead.

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