- One analyst suggested Charter could wholesale its Wi-Fi hotspots to a satellite operator
- Another analyst asked if Charter would consider joining in a network build with a LEO operator
- For its part, Charter is currently focused on its imminent purchase of Cox Communications
Charter’s stock today is trading at about $122 per share, its lowest price in more than a decade.
During its second quarter 2026, Charter lost 172,000 broadband subscribers. “Softer gross additions remain the primary driver of our internet customer growth weakness, while churn remained largely unchanged,” said Charter CEO Chris Winfrey.
On a brighter note, the company added 406,000 Spectrum Mobile lines during the quarter, resulting in over 12.5 million mobile lines in total.
Similar to Comcast’s earnings yesterday, the most interesting part of Charter’s earnings call related to the competition from SpaceX’s Starlink. It was perhaps more interesting in Charter’s case because during Q2 there were rumors that Charter was in discussions with Starlink.
Winfrey downplayed that. He said, “We talk to many industry players anytime that we think we can enhance our own product capabilities, or do things that are innovative in the marketplace, or we can lower costs for customers.”
But he said in terms of Starlink specifically, there was nothing to report.
One analyst suggested that maybe Charter could use its existing wireless offload capabilities, in conjunction with satellite connectivity, to perhaps create a new type of wireless architecture (presumably to cut out the need for its wholesale relationship with Verizon).
Currently, Charter offloads about 87% of its wireless traffic onto its own Wi-Fi hotspots or onto its own CBRS spectrum.
Winfrey entertained the idea that Charter could perhaps use those offload capabilities “in a wholesale environment.” In other words, it could potentially partner with a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) operator such as Starlink in a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Winfrey said, “It depends on what's the long-term path that we're doing? How does it impact us?" But he expressed openness to wholesale opportunities with satellite operators if it created additional revenue streams. “If it's going to be material, it's certainly something we would think about,” he said.
Another analyst asked if Charter would consider not just a wholesaling arrangement with a satellite operator but joining in a network build with an LEO operator such SpaceX or Amazon Leo.
Winfrey said, “We're in a capital-light approach that we're really enamored with as it relates to mobility and the ability to deliver converged retail services… there's no driving need for us to go build a network of any type because we have it.”
Charter’s traditional broadband business
In regard to its broadband customer declines, Winfrey today said, “While internet customer growth is taking longer to reverse, the growth of new competition will subside. We expect to stabilize and return to broadband growth over time.”
The company continues to tweak its pricing and go-to-market strategies and to improve its net promoter scores.
“Service and reliability are the other top drivers of NPS,” said Winfrey. “We believe our service capabilities are unique, anchored by a 100% U.S.-based sales and service team, and that provides a significant upside. Our digital service capabilities are set to meet customers where and how they want to be serviced. And when automated, we're ensuring that channel delivers the same quality as the top 10% of our agents.”
The Cox deal
Charter anticipates its purchase of Cox will happen in mid to late August. And on September 1, former Frontier CEO Nick Jeffery will join the combined company as chief operating officer.
Shortly after the merger, Charter will launch its Spectrum pricing and packaging within the Cox footprint.
After the Cox merger, the combined company will have about 37 million customers.
Read more about Charter:
Charter loses 120,000 broadband subs in Q1 2026
Charter’s CEO shares thoughts on the company’s big stock drop
Now SpaceX is talking to Charter about a mobile offer: report
Charter names former Frontier CEO Nick Jeffery as its new COO