We like to take the pulse of consumer groups across the country to learn what they think about wireless communication, what kind of impact it’s having on their lives, and how they feel about issues such as taxes and fees. We do that through our national consumer survey, which we just conducted, and by asking the same questions of specific demographic groups, as we just did with African-American wireless phone users.
Our Annual Consumer Survey results are in and those positions are pretty clear among the 1,000 people we surveyed. Here are some of the key takeaways.
We have good news on a topic I know a lot you care about: taxes. This week, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee formally announced it will mark up H.R. 3086, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act (PITFA) tomorrow, which is a huge step toward the bill being put to a vote.
It’s safe to say that Internet access is a big deal to most Americans. According to her most recent annual Internet Trends presentation, Mary Meeker of Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) reported the U.S. ranks second in the world in the number of Internet users – with 263 million. That’s 83% of the total U.S. population.
In 2008, the City of Chicago convinced the General Assembly to allow the City Council and the Mayor to double the 911 fee imposed on wireless consumers from $1.25 per month to $2.50 per month. Six years later, the Olympic bid was unsuccessful but city wireless consumers continue to pay $2.50 a month, the second highest city 911 fee in the country. Now, a proposal that may be considered by the Illinois General Assembly would allow the City Council to raise the fee again – to $3.50 per month on wireless consumers.
