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Wireless Subscribers Surpass Traditional Wired Connections in North Carolina
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in history, North Carolinians have more wireless phones than wire line connections. According to the FCC's newest "Local Telephone Competition" report, the number of wireless subscribers in the state rose to 5.36 million, while wire line connections declined to 4.99 million statewide, as of year-end 2004.
Nationally, the market is split 50-50 between wireless subscriptions and wireline connections. But in North Carolina, wireless has a 52-48 percent advantage.
Krista Tillman, President of BellSouth's NC Operations, said the new data confirms that intermodal competition has substantially changed the communications industry.
"Customers are clearly more interested in how a service meets their communications needs than in which technology provides the service," she said. "Only old regulatory rules continue to draw distinctions between technologies. The growth of wireless is a perfect case study for how competition flourishes when government steps out of the way and puts customers in the driver's seat."
According to the FCC's report, wireless subscribers grew at a rate of 10% in the last half of 2004, a substantial increase over the mid-single-digit range seen in previous six-month intervals. Rob Forsyth, vice president and general manager for Cingular Wireless operations in North Carolina, attributed some of the increase to the national combination of Cingular and AT&T Wireless and to the competitive landscape which ultimately benefits consumers.
"Wireless competition is strong and the consumers are seeing the benefits," he said. "The new Cingular offers consumers an expanded nationwide mobile-to-mobile calling area which spans more than 50 million customers. This competitive environment, along with compelling products and services that consumers rely on both professionally and personally, is contributing to the increase in wireless subscribership."
Wireless competition is only one area in which the industry is changing, Ms. Tillman said. High-speed broadband connections is another rapidly growing market segment, with some customers using cable modem connections, not reflected in the FCC report, for IP telephony.
"Our telecommunications laws need to reflect that this country has one communications industry, not separate telephone, cable and wireless phone industries," she said. "North Carolina legislators and regulators have taken steps in that direction. Congress and the FCC should follow their lead in updating laws to encourage investment and head-to-head competition by all companies in the overall communications market."
The FCC's reports on local competition and broadband deployment may be viewed online at http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/comp.html.
About BellSouth Corporation
BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth has joint control and 40 percent ownership of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider with more than 50 million customers. Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers(R), residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial-up and high-speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth(R) RealPages.com(R) and The Real Yellow Pages(R).
BellSouth Corporation
CONTACT: Clifton Metcalf of BellSouth, +1-704-417-8741, orclifton.metcalf@bellsouth.com
Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/iatd/comp.html
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/095650.html
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