Wireless Consumers Remain Overwhelmingly Satisfied With Service - Opposed to Discriminatory Wireless Taxes & Fees, Onerous Regulations

ORLANDO, Fla., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New national consumer survey data released today by nonpartisan non-profit consumer advocacy coalition MyWireless.org® shows that America's cell phone consumers remain highly satisfied with their wireless service, are opposed to higher federal, state and local taxes and believe proposals to add new regulations on their wireless service would raise prices and slow investment and innovation.

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Of the 1,000 cell phone users polled nationwide, the findings include:

• 95% of American wireless consumers – 9 out of every 10 consumers – are satisfied or very satisfied with their service.
• When asked to rate how their chosen wireless company was doing for their customers in terms of the following areas, they rated companies 'excellent/good' on the following:
  • 81% for providing cutting edge technology.
  • 76% for providing choices of phones and plans.
  • 64% for providing innovative applications, or 'apps.'
• Considering the price that consumers pay for monthly wireless service and the benefits that it provides, 75% rated the value of that service as excellent or good.
• Combined, 85% think that the average tax rate on their monthly wireless phone bill (approximately 16.3%) should be 'lower,' or 'the same,' as the average sales tax rate for other general goods and services (approximately 7.4%).
• Only 6% correctly identified average monthly wireless taxes as being between 15-19%, and only 7% were able to identify monthly wireless taxes as being 20% or more.
• 67% support Congress passing a 5-year freeze on wireless taxes, which would prohibit states and localities from adding unfair new taxes on wireless service.
• 85% agreed that "wireless companies keep offering consumers more choices, more innovation and more services, so you have the freedom to do just about anything with your phone."
• An overwhelming 83% agree that "companies competing for wireless customers give consumers enough choices so they can pick the wireless device, plan, options and content that best fits their needs."
• 78% believe adding new government regulations on wireless service would make their cell phone service more expensive, or make no difference at all.
• 69% believe adding new government regulations on wireless service would either make their cell phone service worse, or make no difference at all.

"Our latest national consumer polling numbers show that the love affair between American consumers and wireless communication is only growing stronger," said Brian Johnston, director of advocacy for MyWireless.org.  "The results overwhelmingly indicate that wireless devices and technology are vital to consumers' lives, and that Americans are highly satisfied with wireless and what it allows them do."

"The survey clearly shows consumers consider wireless an extraordinary value and they believe that adding government regulations would only cause problems, increase costs, and prevent companies from investing in their networks and in developing innovative wireless products and services that consumers love to use," Johnston said.

"When it comes to unfair, new taxes and fees, consumers say they already pay enough – or too much – on their monthly bills, and would support policies that prohibit new, discriminatory state and local wireless taxes and fees," continued Johnston.  "In this age of fast-paced technology and rapid communication, wireless is the overwhelming choice as an everyday lifeline of connectivity for hundreds of millions of Americans – wireless should therefore remain affordable and accessible to ALL those consumers."

McLaughlin & Associates, along with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, conducted this bi-partisan national survey of 1,000 adult wireless phone users who are likely voters via telephone on March 1-3, 2011. To see more of our 2011 national consumer survey results, and to learn more about MyWireless.org® – a national nonpartisan non-profit advocacy organization representing American wireless consumers – please visit us at www.MyWireless.org today.

SOURCE MyWireless.org

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