CTIA-The Wireless Association

Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO of CTIA, has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will keep her as the head of the leading wireless industry group. Baker joined CTIA in 2014 and oversees the wireless industry’s political advocacy as well as key industry initiatives.  Under her leadership, CTIA has broadened its reach attracting new members to reflect the growing importance of mobile to the US economy.  CTIA has also invested in the technical and policy expertise needed for tomorrow’s challenges, launched a new annual convention, and developed key programs to help enable t

How much do you know about the wireless industry's tremendously important impact in our lives, whether it's through the economy, innovation, competition, environmental and other societal benefits?

We've assembled numerous facts from a variety of sources in our Resource Library, but here are some quick facts that provide an overview of the importance of the US wireless industry:

1. The economic impact of bringing 500 MHz of spectrum (per the FCC's National Broadband Plan) to market by 2020 is $87 billion increase in US GDP; at least 350,000 new US jobs; additional $23.4 billion in government revenues; and $13.1 billion increase in wireless applications and content sales.

• US providers invested $94 per subscriber while the rest of the world spent $16.
• For every $1 invested in wireless broadband, it will create an additional $7-10 for US GDP.
• The US wireless industry is valued at $195.5 billion, which is larger than publishing, agriculture, hotels and lodging, air transportation, motion picture and recording and motor vehicle manufacturing industry segments. It rivals the computer system design service and oil and gas extraction industries.
• The wireless industry directly/indirectly employs more than 3.8 million Americans, which accounts for 2.6% of all US employment. In addition, wireless employees are paid 65% higher than the national average for other workers.
• The app economy employs 519,000 developers and related jobs and grew into a $10 billion industry.

2. Thanks to the US wireless companies constant innovation and competition to remain the world's mobile industry leader, America's users benefit.

• While US consumers represent only 5 percent of the world’s wireless connections, we comprise 50 percent of the world’s 4G/LTE connections. This number is more than double the share of second ranking Japan and almost triple the share of third ranking South Korea.
• More than 89 percent of US inhabitants have mobile broadband subscriptions compared to 62 percent in all OECD countries.
• US wireless consumers use five times more voice and almost twice as much data with 75 percent faster data speeds than our counterparts in the EU.