March 25, 2010
Wireless Consumers Remain Overwhelmingly Satisfied with Service - Opposed to Higher Wireless Taxes & Fees, New Regulations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 25, 2010
PRESS CONTACT: Brian Johnston, (202) 431-4866
Las Vegas, NV – New consumer survey data released today by national nonpartisan non-profit consumer advocacy coalition MyWireless.org® shows that America’s cell phone consumers remain highly satisfied with their wireless service, are opposed to higher federal, state and local taxes and believe proposals to add new regulations on their wireless service would raise prices and slow investment and innovation.
Of the 1,000 cell phone users polled nationwide, the findings include:
- 91% of American wireless consumers – 9 out of every 10 consumers – are satisfied or very satisfied with their cell phone service.
- 86% agree that their cell phone “makes my life easier.”
- Combined, 89% think that the tax rate on their monthly wireless phone bill should be ‘lower,’ or ‘the same,’ as the approximately 6% tax rate they pay on general goods and services. The actual average national tax rate on wireless is about 16%.
- 92% believe that all government taxes, fees and surcharges, at the state and city levels, should be clearly itemized on their monthly cell phone bills.
- 72% support Congress passing a 5-year freeze on wireless taxes, which would prohibit states and localities from adding unfair new taxes on wireless service.
- An overwhelming 80% agree that “companies competing for wireless customers give consumers enough choices so they can pick the wireless device, plan, options and content that best fits their needs.”
- Considering the price that consumers pay for monthly cell phone service and the benefits that it provides, 73% rated the value of that service as excellent or good.
- 62% believe new government regulations would make cell phone service more expensive.
- 69% believe adding new government regulations on wireless service would either make their cell phone service worse or make no difference at all.
“Our latest national consumer polling numbers show that wireless users feel stronger than ever about how vital mobile technology and devices are to their lives and how satisfied they are with the choices they have,” said Brian Johnston, director of advocacy for MyWireless.org. “Consumers consider wireless an extremely good value and they believe adding more regulations would ultimately increase their service costs and delay investment and innovation,” he continued. “When it comes to taxes and fees, consumers say they already pay enough – or too much – on their monthly bills, and would support policies that prohibit new state and local wireless taxes, fees and surcharges,” Johnston said.
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McLaughlin & Associates, along with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, conducted this bi-partisan national survey of 1,000 adult wireless phone users who are likely voters via telephone on March 15-17, 2010. To see more national consumer survey results, and to learn more about MyWireless.org, a national nonpartisan non-profit advocacy organization representing American wireless consumers, please visit www.MyWireless.org today.