ORLANDO, Fla.—CTIA’s semi-annual survey of wireless operators confirmed what the industry already knows: Americans are in love with their wireless devices, and using them more and more for data connections.
Some quick stats from the survey:
Wireless penetration is at 96%, up nearly 5% from end-of-year 2009.
Wireless subscriber connections: 302.9 million, up 6%.
Minutes of Use: 2.241 trillion, down from the 2.275 trillion reported in 2009.
SMS sent and received: 2.052 trillion, up 31%.
MMS sent and received: 56.6 billion, up 64%.
Data traffic on wireless networks in the last six months of 2010: 226.5 billion megabytes, up a whopping 110%.
Average wireless bill (includes voice and data service): $47.21, down 95 cents from the year-ago period.
The number of active smartphones: 78.2 million, up 57%.
Number of active data-capable devices: 270 million, up 5.3%.
Number of web-capable devices: 242 million, up 3.6 million.
Wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 13.6 million, up 14.2%.
Total annual capital investment in 2010 rose 22% to $24.9 billion as Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility, along with others, invested in their networks.
“Whether it’s sending a text, making a phone call or accessing the wireless Internet, the facts prove our industry continues to offer innovative and competitive services and products that consumers love and are using more than ever. This fact-based survey proves why our industry needs more spectrum. In order to meet the demands by consumers and businesses, we need more spectrum so our wireless ecosystem can keep fueling the ‘virtuous cycle’ of innovation and competition,” said Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association.
Wireless annual service revenue increased 4.8 percent from a year earlier to $159.9 billion. Wireless data revenue grew to $50.1 billion, representing 31.4 percent of total service revenue.
