- Wireless subscribers spent more than $19.3 billion on their services in the first six months of 1999.
- There are 74,157 cell sites in the United States. There are more than 76 million subscribers — an increase of 25 percent in the last year.
- More than 140,000 people are employed by the wireless industry.
- The average monthly wireless phone bill is $40.24. In 1988, it was $95. The average call length is 2.4 minutes. The average roaming call length is 2.96 minutes.
- Nearly three-fifths of wireless users say they considered multiple service companies before selecting their current service provider, including 32 percent who decided among three or more companies. Only one in four looked at just one company.
- The number of wireless users who say they have switched wireless telephone service companies in the past year has held steady at 17 percent. High-end users, business users, heavy users and those who regularly use the features of their wireless phone all are more likely to have moved to a new wireless service provider.
- The proportion of consumers who have purchased a better, more advanced wireless phone in the past year has increased to 33 percent from 27 percent a year ago.
- Consumers express the same level of positive feelings toward their wireless service company as they do toward their local and long distance telephone companies, with 73 percent feeling positive toward their wireless service company, 17 percent who are neutral and just 7 percent who feel negative. When it comes to value, 46 percent rate their long distance service as a good or above average buy, 45 percent give this rating to their wireless service, and 42 percent feel this way about their local telephone service.
- Today, 40 percent of wireless users say they use their wireless phones to make both local and long distance calls, and 47 percent say that they use their phones to both make and receive calls.
- As the number of wireless phones in the marketplace continues to grow, there is a continuing shift away from usage of wireless phones primarily for business. Today, 64 percent of consumers report using their phones primarily for personal needs, compared with 20 percent who use it primarily for business. Three years ago, three in 10 wireless customers were business users, and although each year business users have reported higher spending on their wireless service, they are a declining share of the market.
- Overall, 38 percent of consumers say they have a lot (16 percent) or some (22 percent) interest in having their wireless phone replace their home phone, forming primary and secondary markets for “cutting the cord.”
- When it comes to specific price elements, users are most interested in finding a wireless service plan that has a flat rate with no difference between peak and off-peak hours (39 percent) and in getting a plan that does not charge for roaming outside of the home service area (35 percent). Analysis by monthly spending level reveals that users spending the least for their monthly service place the highest priority on avoiding roaming charges, while those spending more on wireless service are most interested in getting a plan with a flat rate, no matter when calls are made.
