Press Release
New Poll Shows New York Consumers Reject More Wireless
Regulations by Over 2-to-1 Margin
Majority Are Highly Satisfied with Their Cell Phone Service and Believe More Regulations Would Harm Or Do Nothing To Improve Their Service, While Increasing Costs
NEW YORK, June 5, 2006 – By more than a 2-to-1 margin (56% to 24%), wireless phone users in New York oppose adding new state government regulations on their wireless service, according to a poll released today by consumer advocacy group MyWireless.org.
The bipartisan survey of 800 likely voters who are also wireless phone users, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates and Penn, Schoen, & Berland Associates, found that more than 84% are satisfied with their cell phone service, and that “protecting consumers’ rights” ranks at the bottom of the list of issues most important in deciding their votes for Governor and State Legislature.
This survey mirrors two recent studies from the University of Michigan and J.D. Power and Associates that found overall wireless customer satisfaction has increased markedly. The data also corresponds with recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reports that show wireless-related complaints decreased 6.9% since the end of the 4th Quarter in 2005. The FCC report (covering the 1st Quarter of 2006) also shows that for every 1 million wireless subscribers, there are only 22 complaints registered with the FCC, or 0.002%.
According to the MyWireless.org survey, 7 in 10 New Yorkers (70%) believe new state regulations would make their service more expensive. 71% of consumers believe adding new state government regulations on cell phone service would make service worse or would do nothing to improve it, compared with 14% who believe new regulations would improve wireless services. If a “bill of rights” would ultimately raise the price for wireless phone service, more than three-quarters (78%) of New Yorkers would not be willing to pay more for such provisions.
When asked whether lawmakers should pass a cell phone “bill of rights” to provide more consumer protections, a majority (52%) said such regulations would cause New Yorkers to pay higher prices and have fewer choices for wireless phone service. Less than one-third (32%) of wireless phone consumers support such legislation, which is currently being considered in the New York State Assembly.
“These survey results highlight the fact that there is absolutely no consumer mandate for the state government to add more costly and complicated regulations on wireless phone service,” said Kimberly Kuo, Executive Director of MyWireless.org. “New Yorkers are highly satisfied with their wireless services, and also strongly opposed to unnecessary regulations that will raise their wireless prices. The so-called ‘cell phone bill of rights’ is a solution searching for a problem that doesn’t exist.”
60% of New Yorkers surveyed believe existing competition among wireless providers means consumers receive quality services, and less than one-third (31%) think the state government needs to add more regulations in this area. Only 1% of voters surveyed ranked “protecting consumer’s rights” as an issue in deciding their votes for Governor and State Legislature, well behind “creating jobs and improving the state’s economy” (24%), “preventing tax increases” (19%), “reducing wasteful government spending” (17%), “providing affordable health care” (14%) and “improving education” (12%).
“What wireless consumers are telling us they care about is keeping prices low, innovation swift, and choices broad. There is obviously very little public support for the Assembly’s so-called ‘Wireless Telephone Service Consumer Protection Act’ among the New Yorkers this legislation purports to protect,” added Kuo. “If lawmakers really want to protect consumers, they should address the outrageous 22%wireless taxes New Yorkers pay every month – the third highest in the nation.”