NTCA Survey: Small Telcos Committed to Wireless Play

A survey by NTCA reveals that small rural communications providers are investing millions on an ongoing basis to deliver a wireless play to their consumers, and many of those not currently doing so are considering entering the wireless marketplace.

More than three quarters (76%) of respondents to the NTCA 2009 Wireless Survey are providing wireless services to their customers: Sixty-one percent of respondents offer fixed broadband, 54% mobile voice, 32% mobile broadband and 17% fixed voice. In addition, 33% of survey respondents not currently offering wireless service are considering doing so.

Other highlights:

• The average respondent indicated that their company competes with between two and five other carriers.

• Respondents serve an average of 7,300 wireless subscribers, with an average of 42 cell sites.

• The average customer’s monthly wireless bill is between $40 and $60, and the typical customer uses more than 1,400 minutes monthly.

• Survey respondents offer a myriad of features to their wireless customers; 92% of respondents offer their wireless customers family plans, voicemail and caller ID, 83% text messaging, 75% unlimited local calling, 67% Internet access and bonus night/weekend minutes, and 58% email and prepaid.

• Sixty-four percent of survey respondents indicated that they hold at least one wireless license below 2.3 GHz; 34% hold at least one license above 2.3 GHz.
• Fifty-five percent of survey respondents who have plans to deploy next generation technology said that they would be deploying LTE, 20% indictated UMTS/WCDMA, 15% WiMax 802.16e, and 5% each GSM, CDMA EVDO and pre-WiMax.

View additional information and conclusions in the report.

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