Telephone Subscriber Report

Three times annually, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updates reported information regarding United States telephone subscribership levels. Using 2009 Census Bureau Current Population Survey (CPS) statistics, the most recent update was just released, and identifies subscriber levels by state, income level, race, age, household size, and employment status.

The statistical summary below was offered in the 8/13/09 FCC Press Release as a sampling of the detail available in the complete report.

"In March 2009:
~~ The telephone subscribership penetration rate in the U.S. was 95.6%, an increase of 0.4% over the rate from March 2008. This is the highest reported rate since the CPS began collecting this data in November 1983.
~~ The telephone penetration rate for households in income categories below $15,000 was at or below 92.7%, while the rate for households in income categories over $40,000 was at least 97.9%.
~~ Among the states, the penetration rates ranged from a low of 92.3% to a high of 98.7%.
~~ Penetration rates ranged from 91.5% for households headed by a person under 25 to at least 96.5% for households headed by a person over 55.
~~ Households with one person had a penetration rate of 93.4%, compared to a rate of 97.0% for households with four or five persons.
~~ The penetration rate for unemployed adults was 94.9%, while the rate for employed adults was 96.6%."

To view or download this report, visit http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/stats.