FCC Releases Telephone Penetration by Income Report

FCC RELEASES TELEPHONE PENETRATION BY INCOME REPORT
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The Federal Communications Commission released a report presenting data on telephone penetration levels on a state-by-state basis for various income categories. The report presents penetration statistics based on individual household data from the Current Population Survey conducted by the Census Bureau in March 2006. The report is designed to track the effects of federal and state Universal Service Fund Lifeline and Linkup support mechanisms that defray the cost of telephone service for low-income consumers. Some highlights: 1) In March 2006, penetration among low-income households (under $10,000 annual income in 1984 dollars) nationwide was 86.3%. This contrasts with an overall nationwide penetration rate of 92.9% in March 2006. 2) Since 1985, when the Federal Communications Commission first established Lifeline to help low-income households afford the monthly cost of telephone service, penetration rates among low-income households have grown from 80.0% to 86.3%. 3) States that have provided a high level of lifeline support for telephone service for low-income consumers experienced an average growth in penetration for low-income households from March 1997 to March 2006. In contrast, states that provided a low level of lifeline support experienced an average decline in telephone penetration rates for low-income households between March 1997 and March 2006. 4) Penetration rates among low-income households ranged from a high of 96.1% in New Hampshire to a low of 77.3% in Alabama in March 2006.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-272905A1.doc

* See report online
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-272906A1.pdf