Spectrum, which is owned by Charter Communications, continues to rapidly lose an alarming number of internet customers, despite recent efforts to reverse this concerning trend. Amid recent challenges, the company’s CEO is betting big on three new changes to attract and retain customers. 

In Charter Communications’ latest earnings report, the company revealed that Spectrum lost a whopping 119,000 internet customers during the fourth quarter of 2025.

Spectrum has been losing internet customers in droves in recent years and has previously made several bold changes to curb this behavior. In late 2024, it launched a three-year price-lock guarantee for its newer internet plans.

It also began offering customers internet for a starting price of $30 a month, with speeds starting at 500 Mbps, when bundled with mobile or video services. 

However, Spectrum’s recent customer losses don’t come as a surprise, since the company raised monthly rates for a few of its older internet plans by $2 in June last year. The price increase followed its decision to quietly hike its monthly internet prices by $3 to $4 in July 2024.

Many consumers nationwide are sick of seeing their internet bills gradually increase each month. A survey from Reviews.org last year found that three in four Americans have canceled, downgraded, or considered switching internet providers due to high prices.

Fixed wireless internet (5G home internet) has become a popular option for consumers, posing a major threat to Spectrum and other traditional internet providers. This service is offered by phone carriers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, and is usually cheaper than traditional wired internet.

Spectrum lost 119,000 internet customers during the last few months of 2025.

Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock

Charter CEO flags why Spectrum internet customers are leaving

During an earnings call on Jan. 30, Charter Communications CEO Christopher Winfrey said that in the internet business, “competition for new customers remains high.” He said the loss of internet customers during the quarter contributed to the company’s 0.5% revenue decline in 2025.

Winfrey flagged that pressures in the U.S. housing market and increased competition from fiber and fixed wireless internet providers are making it difficult for the company to attract new internet customers.

“The operating environment for new sales, in particular internet, continues to reflect low move rates and higher mobile substitution,” said Winfrey. “Along with both expanded cell phone internet competition and fiber overlap growth, similar to earlier in the year, collectively, that drove fourth-quarter internet sales slightly lower year over year.”

Related: DirecTV makes harsh move as customers keep leaving

Spectrum seeing headwinds from the housing market comes as the average 30-year mortgage rate has remained above 6% since 2022, prompting many consumers to put off new home purchases. However, the mortgage rate has been slowly decreasing in recent months, which has ignited new home sales. 

In December, as the average 30-year mortgage rate dropped to 6.19% from 6.24% in November, existing-home sales rose 5.1% month over month, according to data from the National Association of Realtors and Freddie Mac.

Charter CEO unveils 3 upcoming changes to Spectrum

To win back customers amid these challenges, Spectrum plans to implement three major changes. First, it will launch a “new invincible Wi-Fi product” this month.  

“Invincible Wi-Fi is a market-first product combining Wi-Fi 7 with 5G and battery backup,” said Winfrey. 

The product will allow internet customers to “seamlessly” switch on the same SSID (Service Set Identifier or Wi-Fi name) during a storm or service outage.

Second, he said that Spectrum will now vow to install service or fix service issues within two hours for residents and one hour for businesses. 

“Over a year ago, we deployed the nation’s first wireline and wireless service commitment, guaranteeing transparency, reliability, and same-day installation and service,” said Winfrey. “Internally, we’re now moving that service window target to two hours. And one hour for business. At your doorstep from the time you call.”

Third, the company will now guarantee customers $1,000 in savings per year when they enroll in an internet plan with two mobile lines from Spectrum. 

“If we can’t save you a thousand dollars or more when compared to the big three telco carriers, we’ll credit the difference on your bill during the first year,” said Winfrey. “Guarantee connectivity, guaranteed service and guaranteed savings.”

Spectrum is also relying on a bold tactic to help retain customers

In addition to these three changes, Spectrum is continuing to rely on bundling its cable TV and internet services, which it calls its new pricing and packaging, to boost internet customer retention. Winfrey claims this strategy is “a powerful tool” that provides “value and utility” to customers. 

“At the end of 2025, we were about 40% of our footprint had that new pricing and packaging. We’ll probably be at 60% at the end of this year,” said Winfrey. “And so we’ve been able to manage an environment where you are really lowering your broadband pricing at promotion and at retail. Both in standalone, but more importantly, in bundled pricing and packaging in a way that creates significant savings for customers.”

This strategy follows in the footsteps of its competitors AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon, which are all betting big on bundling phone and internet services to reverse recent customer losses. 

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In a statement to TheStreet, RTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino said it is vital for Spectrum not to rely too much on price-lock guarantees and bundling to attract customers. 

Instead, the company must double down on redefining its value proposition by offering more flexible plans, implementing visible service improvements, and providing a modern, transparent customer experience to turn around its internet business. 

“In today’s broadband market, loyalty is earned every month through performance and trust, not locked in for a year through contracts or bundles,” said Miserandino. “The providers that win will be the ones that make customers stay because they want to, not because it’s a headache to leave.”

Spectrum’s bold plan to revamp its internet business comes as it falls behind its fixed wireless and wired internet competitors in consumer satisfaction, according to a recent J.D. Power survey. 

U.S. consumer satisfaction rates for wired and fixed wireless internet:

  • In the six months before October 2025, wireless internet providers experienced a 15% increase in new sign-ups, while wired internet providers saw a 6% increase.
  • The average satisfaction score for wired internet is 554 (on a 1,000-point scale).
  • However, wireless internet takes the top spot with a score of 647.
  • In the East Coast, Spectrum falls behind its wired internet competitors Verizon, Cox Communications, and Xfinity with a satisfaction score of 526.
  • In the North Central, Spectrum has a score of 540, coming third to AT&T and Xfinity, which have scores of 554 and 551, respectively.
  • In the West Coast, consumers gave AT&T and Frontier Communications higher scores than Spectrum.
  • Also, in the South, Spectrum is beaten by GFiber, AT&T, Xfinity, and Frontier Communications.
    Source: J.D. Power 

“The internet landscape is clearly evolving, with continued rising customer satisfaction and continued strong customer service performance in wireless service,” said Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom intelligence at J.D. Power, in a press release. 

“The high satisfaction we are seeing in the wireless internet segment is attributed to internet speed, availability and the hassle-free ability to start, combined with a lower price,” he continued. “Additionally, with more provider options, customers are able to choose the service that best fits their lifestyle.”

Related: Verizon gets approval to make it harder for customers to leave