91% Of Public Served By 3+ Carriers: FCC
Staff -- TWICE, 7/9/2001
WASHINGTON— A total of 259 million people, or 91% of the U.S. population, live in areas served by three or more wireless-phone carriers, the FCC said in its sixth annual report on wireless competition.
For the year ending December 2000, the FCC also found that 75 % of the population lives in areas served by five or more carriers, and 47% live in areas where at least six wireless-phone carriers compete.
In other year-end findings, the FCC determined that 62% of wireless-phone subscribers used digital phones, up from 51 % at the end of 1999 and 30% in 1998. The commission also cited Bureau of Labor Statistics findings that the price of phone service fell 12.3 percent in 2000.
Since late 1999, seven major carriers have begun offering mobile data services, including SMS, wireless web, and e-mail on phone handsets. At the end of 2000, four of the carriers reported 2.5 mobile Internet users.
