2007 National Consumer Survey
Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your cell phone service?
Satisfied |
Dissatisfied |
93% |
7% |
Considering the price you pay
for your cell phone service and the benefits it
provides you, do you consider the value of your cell phone service to be excellent, good, fair or poor?
| Excellent/Good | 72% |
| Fair | 21% |
| Poor | 5% |
Regarding your cell phone service, which one of the following is the most important to you?
| Lowering prices | 43% |
| Improving cell phone coverage and quality | 33% |
Eliminating “early termination fees” for customers who terminate their contract early |
15% |
| Providing longer trial periods for customers signing up for service | 2% |
| Providing more detailed advertising disclosures | 1% |
In your opinion, do you believe cell phone users pay too much, about the right amount or not enough in taxes and fees for their cell phone services?
Too Much |
Right Amount |
Not Enough |
60% |
23% |
1% |
Do you believe adding new government regulations on cell phone service would
make your cell phone service more expensive or less expensive? If you think
that adding new government regulations would make no difference, just say so.
More Expensive |
Less Expensive |
No Difference |
69% |
6% |
15% |
Delay |
Increase |
No Difference |
41% |
10% |
32% |
Do you believe adding new government regulations that would add more legal disclosures in cell phone contracts and advertising would benefit or annoy cell phone users? If you think that adding new government regulations would make no difference, just say so.
Benefit |
Annoy |
No Difference |
17% |
51% |
16% |
Would you support or oppose having a 3-year freeze on new wireless taxes, which would prohibit states and localities from raising taxes on wireless services?
Support |
Oppose |
81% |
11% |
Which one of the following statements comes closest to your own personal opinion?
1. Existing competition among cell phone providers already ensures that consumers have enough choices and receive a fair price for cell phone services.
2. The government needs to add regulations on cell phone services to ensure that consumers have adequate consumer protections and receive a fair price.
Competition |
Regulations |
62% |
30% |
Which one of the following statements comes closest to your own personal opinion?
1. Existing competition among cell phone providers means consumers receive quality cell phone service.
2. The government needs to add regulations on cell phone services to ensure that consumers receive quality cell phone service.
Competition |
Regulations |
63% |
28% |
Knowing that a “bill of rights” for cell phone customers would impose new regulations on billing and customer service that would ultimately raise the price of cell phone service, how much more would you be willing to pay per month for a cell phone consumer “bill of rights”? If you would not be willing to pay any additional amount per month, just say so.
Not Willing To Pay More |
75% |
Willing To Pay More |
19% |
So far Congress has protected consumers from paying taxes on Internet access. However, the laws prohibiting taxes on Internet access will expire later this year. Do you support or oppose continuing the laws that prohibit federal, state, or local governments from adding taxes on consumers for Internet access?
Support |
Oppose |
71% |
17% |
Many cell phone companies offer discounted cell phones and lower-cost monthly service plans in exchange for a one or two year commitment, including an early termination fee of $150 to $200 if the customer discontinues service before the completion of the contract. If government regulations limit early termination fees it could increase service rates and increase the price of cell phones. Knowing this, would you support or oppose government regulations that would limit early termination fees?
Support |
Oppose |
34% |
48% |
As you may know, you pay a monthly e-911 fee on your monthly cell phone bill. How much more in e-911 fees would you be willing to pay on your monthly cell phone bill to support public safety in general? If you would not be willing to pay any additional amount per month, just say so.
Not Willing To Pay More |
61% |
Willing To Pay More |
34% |
The purpose of the e-911 fee on your monthly cell phone bill is to improve emergency response systems that locate people who dial 911 from their cell phones. However, instead of using the revenue from the e-911 fees to improve emergency response systems for cell phone users, some state governments have used e-911 funds for other unrelated projects. Now certain states are proposing increasing the e-911 fee on monthly cell phone bills again. If your state wanted to increase the e-911 cell phone fee, how much more would you be willing to pay on your monthly bill? If you would not be willing to pay any additional amount per month, just say so.
Not Willing To Pay More |
71% |
Willing To Pay More |
22% |
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“The funds collected from the e-911 fee you pay on your monthly cell phone
bill should be strictly designated to improve emergency response systems that
locate people who dial 911 from their cell phones.”
Agree |
Disagree |
91% |
4% |
The number of consumers using their cell phones at home is increasing dramatically. Would you say the quality of cell phone coverage in your neighborhood is excellent, good, fair or poor?
| Excellent/Good | 71% |
| Fair | 16% |
| Poor | 9% |
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
“Cell phone users want better coverage in order to use their cell phone
at home and in their communities. Localities should work cooperatively with
cell phone companies to ensure that wireless antennas can be located in residential
areas to provide coverage wherever people live, work and play.”
Agree |
Disagree |
81% |
10% |
You are currently charged about $1 a month for a "universal service" fee on landline phone bills and cell phone bills in part to enable telecom carriers to provide service in rural and other high-cost areas. About 75% of the funds currently go toward providing landline phone services. Would you support or oppose using a greater portion of the universal service funding to help cell phone companies improve the quality of cell phone service in rural and high-cost areas?
Support |
Oppose |
70% |
16% |
Methodology: This national survey of 1,000 adult
wireless phone users who are likely voters was conducted March 6-8, 2007. The
questions included above are the exact questions asked to survey respondents.
The survey results have been rounded. All interviews were conducted by professional
interviewers via telephone. Interview selection was at random within predetermined
geographic units. These units were structured to statistically correlate with
actual general election turnouts. The accuracy of the sample of 1,000 adult
wireless phone users who are likely voters is within +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence
interval.
Click here to download a copy
of this survey.