Data-driven insights from Parks Associates reveals a significant reshaping of the U.S. residential broadband market driven by 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) and expanding fiber networks at the expense of legacy cable, DSL, and satellite services.

5G FWA Surges in Adoption and Satisfaction

From Q3 2022 to Q3 2024, 5G and LTE home internet services gained significant mindshare among U.S. subscribers as realistic, affordable alternatives to traditional broadband network options. Fixed wireless offered by mobile network operators such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T saw the strongest growth in the U.S. broadband market in both market share and customer satisfaction. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) for these services climbed from 29 to 36, the highest among all internet connection types over the two-year period.

This growth reflects the success of mobile operators in leveraging 5G networks to deliver affordable, dependable, high-speed broadband to millions of homes, many lacking competitive alternatives. As of Q3 2025, 12% of U.S. internet households use 5G or LTE home internet, up from 8% in 2023 and virtually zero in 2020.  In the first half of 2025 alone, Parks Associates’ estimates that fixed wireless subscribers  grew by an impressive 18% as compared to 3% growth for fiber-to-the-home subscribers.  As highlighted by 5G Americas in a recent analyst summit attended by Parks Associates, FWA is effectively “bridging the digital divide by delivering high-speed broadband to underserved communities across rural and suburban markets”.

Fiber Holds Strong as a Premium Option

Fiber internet continues to perform well, with an NPS of 21 and adoption increasing from 24 to 27 year over year. The steady rise underscores consumer appreciation for fiber’s reliability, speed, and consistency. Verizon’s fiber expansion, in particular, has helped the company grow its market share from 6.2% in 2019 to 8.5% in 2025.

Cable Stabilizes, Satellite Stumbles

Cable internet providers such as Comcast and Charter Spectrum remain dominant, though both have seen small share declines since 2019. However, cable NPS improved notably from –7 in 2022 to nearly neutral (–1) in 2024, indicating progress driven by network upgrades and reduced service issues.

Satellite internet, despite innovations like Starlink, continues to struggle. NPS fell from 1 to –4 between 2022 and 2024, signaling persistent issues with reliability and performance, especially in rural markets with fewer competitors. Starlink is a unique story in satellite. It has reached 2.0% market share as of Q2 2025, and its NPS defines the Satellite provider norm with an industry-best 57, signaling demand for non-terrestrial satellite connectivity in hard-to-reach areas is starting to be met at current price points. 

A Market in Transition

Across the top ten U.S. ISPs, the market share data shows gradual erosion of traditional players and the rise of new entrants disrupting with newer technologies like fixed 5G wireless access. T-Mobile now holds roughly 6% of the residential broadband market, becoming the fifth-largest U.S. provider in just seven years, while “Other” providers have contracted due to consolidation and competition.

The Road Ahead

The Parks Associates data makes one trend clear: consumers are gravitating toward connection types that combine value, speed, and simplicity. The flexibility of 5G fixed wireless as well as the slow and steady roll out of frictionless fiber-to-the-home connectively are meeting these expectations, reshaping the broadband landscape and expanding access in both urban and underserved rural areas.

As legacy technologies decline, the competitive battleground for home internet is shifting to wireless innovation, network quality, and customer experience, areas where 5G and fiber providers are currently winning.