We have reported many others having noticed that US households are disconnecting wireline telephone service and going wireless [Wireless companies, consulting companies , CDC ). Now, a new study from Nielsen Mobile reports that 17% and perhaps by year-end as much as 20% of US households will be wireless only.
Particular findings of the Nielsen report:
- Tendency for lower-income families to go total-wireless (59% have less than $40,000/year income)
- Smaller number of occupants tend to go total-wireless
- Moving is the most frequent compelling event to dropping the phone line and never restarting the service in the new home
- Savings are typically $400/year.
- 10% buy a wireline service eventually since it's required for PayTV and DVR-type services.
The tendency for lower-income is probably related to single adult homes or young-people's apartments with several tenants sharing an appartment. These folks (I know several of them) live on their wireless devices and find a home phone so confining. Nobody wants to call their apartment; they want to call THEM.
