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About Three-Quarters of U.S. Adults Say They Currently Subscribe to Wireless Telephone Service, According to Survey by Harris Interactive
Cell phone is primary means of communication for one-fourth of all users ROCHESTER, N.Y. – October 6, 2006 – Three-quarters (74%) of U.S. adults say they currently subscribe to wireless (cell or mobile) telephone service, more than those who say they currently subscribe to wireline (landline) service (58%). About one-quarter (24%) of cell phone users consider the cell phone their primary means of communication, and two in five (41%) say their cell phone provides them with a sense of personal security. These are some of the results of a nationwide online survey of 1,125 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive® between August 9 and 14, 2006. Of note, in April 2005, one in ten (9%) U.S. adults said that they had abandoned their wireline telephone service completely in favor of using their wireless phone exclusively. At that time, another five percent said that they were seriously considering this and would switch within a year, and forty-seven percent said that they were somewhat considering it. Currently, approximately 13 percent of U.S. adults use only a cell phone or plan to do so within the next six months. "Ma Bell could become a name for Trivial Pursuit before you know it," said Joe Porus, Vice President and Chief Architect for Harris Interactive. "More and more consumers are cutting the cord and going wireless only. Ultimately consumers see wireless as a more convenient, cost effective and personal form of communication." More than half (55%) of those who plan to use only a cell phone six months from now say this is because they like the flexibility that a cell phone offers, while 30 percent say that their wireless plan is actually less expensive than their wireline phone plan. Prohibitive factors Despite the high percentage of current cell phone users, many adults are reluctant to discontinue their wireline service and go exclusively with wireless or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of those keeping wireline say it is because wireline service works even when the power is out. Other key reasons cited for keeping wireline service are to have the ability to call local 911 (31%), followed by excellent network reliability/no dropped calls (31%) and ability to always get a dial tone (25%). This indicates that despite the advances in technology, some people like the security of the traditional phone company. Methodology This online survey was conducted within the United States between August 9 and 14, 2006 among 1,125 adults (aged 18 and over), of whom 857 currently subscribe to wireless telephone service. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting. With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided. With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 1,125 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-4 percentage points. Sampling error for results from sub-samples would be higher and would vary. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated. About Harris Interactive Technology Research The Harris Interactive Technology Research group doesn’t just monitor and measure the industry. It interacts with the thought leaders who drive technology, telecom and e-business everyday and provides insights from a variety of vertical perspectives. Using the group’s unique knowledge, experience, and expertise in both the telecommunications and information technology sectors, Harris Interactive asks the right questions, confirms business issues, and designs and implements studies to provide clients with actionable results. About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world’s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/.
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