The 2000s changed a lot of things. We collectively decided that the fashion sense of the previous decades were irrelevant and horrid. Pop music dominated while boy bands took over. And cheesy transitional montages started plaguing our movies.
Technology rapid morphed in every area with the turn of the century as well.
Mobile phones, expanding Internet use, smart phones, face and fingerprint recognition, and more. And one of the most influential changes of the 2000s? The shift from cable to streaming.
Cable was introduced in the 1940s-1950s, according to the National Academics Press. By the 60s, the demand for cable access was exploding across the country, growing to over 900,000 subscribers in a little over 10 years.
It wasn’t until the past two decades that streaming entered the scene.
“What is streaming? What platforms are in the category?”
Streaming is simply being able to access a wide variety of services, all in one place, over an Internet-based device. This includes music and video, podcasts, movies, live streams, and more. Some commonly known platforms are: Pandora and Spotify for music, Hulu and Netflix for T.V. and movies, YouTube for video and live stream, and the Apple Podcast app or various local radio stations for audio.
In a sense, streaming creates an “all in one” device!
That’s how smartphone and smart T.V.s came to be – through integration of services and the consumer need to have easy access to many media forms.
A Pew Research survey conducted in August of 2017 concluded that 6 out of 10 adults, ages 18-29, regularly use a streaming method for watching T.V. 31% of them choose cable or satellite service, and only 5% use a digital antenna.
52% of adults today subscribe to a platform for viewing their T.V. shows and movies, and is a most prevalent choice in younger populations. Across all age groups from 18-65+, 59% use cable, 28% use streaming, and 9% use a digital antenna for their viewing access.
Streaming is also useful for staying connected to current events. A total of 37% of young adults watch all their news online, and 2/3 of all adults under the age of 50 get some or most of their news via social media. 85% of adults sign up for news apps with regular notifications for nationwide and worldwide events.
“Then is having cable outdated or not as beneficial?”
Solely using cable is not a bad choice on a consumer’s part. If it’s the most effective use of resources and fits your needs, then it’s more than okay to remain committed to cable!
But times are changing. According to a 2015 Pew Research survey, 24% of adults no longer have cable, and 15% cut off cable in order to switch to streaming service.
At Endeavor, we also want to keep up with the rapidly updating service techniques. Last year, we were proud to begin offering Broadband Only service to our customers. Broadband Only allows Endeavor users the ability to stream regularly without the need to commit to cable or phone service at the same time.
Contact us today at 1.800.922.6677 or customer.service@weendeavor.com to speak with a representative about our high-speed Internet!