*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 7543.doc* NEWS News media Information 202 / 418- 0500 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D. C. Circ 1974). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: March 1, 2001 Mike Balmoris at (202) 418- 0253 Email: mbalmori@ fcc. gov FCC RELEASES NEW TELEPHONE SUBSCRIBERSHIP REPORT Washington, D. C. – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released its latest report on telephone subscribership levels in the United States. The report presents subscribership statistics based on the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the Census Bureau in November 2000. Statistics from that survey estimated that 94. 1% of all households in the United States had telephone service. It is down 0.3% from the last report, for July 2000, and unchanged from November 1999. The change from July is not statistically significant. The report also shows subscribership levels by state, income level, race, age, household size, and employment status. Statistical Findings In November 2000: ƒ The telephone subscribership penetration rate in the U. S. was 94.1%, unchanged from the previous year. ƒ The telephone penetration rate was 80.4% for households with annual incomes below $5,000, while the rate for households with incomes above $60,000 was 98.3%. ƒ By state, the penetration rates ranged from a low of 86.6% in Arkansas to a high of 97.9% in Minnesota. ƒ Households headed by whites had a penetration rate of 94.9%, while those headed by blacks had a rate of 88.9% and those headed by Hispanics had a rate of 90.4%. ƒ By age, penetration rates ranged from 87.4% for households headed by a person under 25 to 95.5% for households headed by a person between 55 and 59. ƒ Households with one person had a penetration rate of 91.0%, compared to a rate of 95.5% for households with four or five persons. ƒ The penetration rate for unemployed adults was 90.1%, while the rate for employed adults was 95.5%. This report is updated three times a year and is available in the FCC's Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. Call International Transcription Service at (202) 857- 3800 to purchase a copy. This report can also be downloaded [file name: SUBS1100.ZIP or SUBS1100.PDF] from the FCC- State Link Internet site at . -FCC-Common Carrier contact: Alexander Belinfante at (202) 418- 0944; TTY (202) 418- 0484. 1