The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released its most recent report on telephone subscriber levels in the United States.
The report, which is based on July 2011 statistics from the Census Bureau, provides subscriber penetration statistics by state, income level, race, age, household size and employment status. Among the report’s highlights are the following key findings:
- The telephone subscriber penetration rate actually decreased from the penetration rate achieved in July 2010, from 96.0% to 95.6%. The Commission says that the decrease is not considered statistically significant.
- The penetration rate for households with incomes below $20,000 was at or below 94.7%, while the rate for households in income categories over $75,000 was at least 98.9%.
- Penetration rates by state range from a high of 98.5% in Connecticut and North Dakota, to a low of 91.4% in Tennessee.
- The penetration rate was 96.7% for employed adults, and 95.1% for unemployed adults.
The Commission says that its continuing analysis of telephone service penetration statistics allows it to examine the aggregate effects of its actions and industry changes on consumers’ decisions to maintain, acquire or drop telephone service.
