New entrants into the broadband landscape — including national mobile carriers offering home internet plans and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite providers — are marketing directly to rural subscribers, and Innovative Systems’ 2026 Rural Subscriber Study shows that subscribers are paying close attention to those alternatives.
For providers focused on retention, the 2026 Rural Subscriber Study offers both a warning and a roadmap. The 2026 study found that rural internet subscribers rate their overall satisfaction at 7.7 on a 10-point scale, a modest improvement from 7.5 in 2025. But national providers improved their average satisfaction score from 7.4 to 7.7, while local providers saw their score slip from 7.9 to 7.6. The two groups are essentially tied.
What keeps subscribers or drives them away
When asked what their current provider has done to give them exceptional service, the most common answers were reliable connectivity (16%), good customer service and communication (13%), affordable pricing and perceived value (12%), and responsive technical support and quick outage response (12%).
When asked what providers could improve — beyond price — subscribers most often said speed and reliability. Customer service and communication ranked next. Notably, national providers’ customers were nearly three times more likely than local providers’ customers to name customer service and communication as a needed improvement (8% versus 3%).
Consistent with 2025, 18% of respondents in the 2026 Rural Subscriber Study say they have switched internet providers in the past two years. Price remains the single biggest driver; 50% of switchers cited lower price or promotional pricing as their reason for leaving. Speed and reliability tied for second, each at 42%.
Among local BSP customers, those who switched to gain access to bundled services jumped from 5% in 2025 to 22% in 2026. That is a dramatic year-over-year increase and signals growing subscriber appetite for service bundles.
With that in mind, maybe the most significant competitive finding in the 2026 Rural Subscriber Study relates to mobile and satellite alternatives. When asked whether they would consider a home internet plan from their cell phone provider — if it were comparable in reliability, speed, and price — 57% of respondents said yes.
Interest is highest among younger subscribers — 66% of those ages 18 to 34 say they would consider making the switch, compared to 60% of those 35 to 54 and 56% of those 55 to 64. Even among subscribers 65 and older, 44% expressed openness to a wireless home internet option.
Innovative Systems’ 2026 Rural Subscriber Study shows that satisfaction is high enough that most subscribers are not actively looking for a reason to leave, but the conditions for switching are there, and competition is growing.
Speed and reliability improvements are one path to retaining existing customers and reinforcing the value subscribers receive from their service. Strong customer service is a competitive advantage for rural providers and needs to be protected. And providers that can offer multi-service packages will be better positioned to retain subscribers; the more services someone uses, the stickier they are.
To access the full Innovative Systems 2026 Rural Subscriber Study for more insights, click here.
Brian Weis, Director of Customer Success
Innovative Systems
Brian Weis is Director of Customer Success at Innovative Systems, with 18+ years of telecom experience spanning operations, engineering, and sales. He helps customers improve efficiency, grow revenue, and reduce third-party reliance. Brian holds an engineering degree from The Ohio State University and served in the Marine Corps Reserves.
