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 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: 
 February  7,  2002  Michael  Balmoris  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  July  2001.  Statistics  from  that  survey  estimated  that  95.1%  of  all  households  in  the 
 United  States  had  telephone  service  in  July  2001.  This  is  the  highest  penetration  level  ever 
 reported.  The  report  also  shows  subscribership  levels  by  state,  income  level,  race,  age, 
 household  size,  and  employment  status. 


 Statistical  Summary 
 In  July  2001:  ƒ 
 The  telephone  subscribership  penetration  rate  in  the  U.  S.  was  95.1%,  a  0.  7%  increase 
 from  July  2000.  This  increase  is  statistically  significant.  ƒ 
 The  telephone  penetration  rate  was  81.  7%  for  households  with  annual  incomes  below 
 $5,000,  while  the  rate  for  households  with  incomes  above  $60,000  was  98.9%.  ƒ 
 By  state,  the  penetration  rates  ranged  from  a  low  of  88.1%  in  Mississippi  to  a  high  of 
 97.8%  in  New  Hampshire.  ƒ 
 Households  headed  by  whites  had  a  penetration  rate  of  95.8%,  while  those  headed  by 
 blacks  had  a  rate  of  90.3%  and  those  headed  by  Hispanics  had  a  rate  of  91.3%.  ƒ 
 By  age,  penetration  rates  ranged  from  90.1%  for  households  headed  by  a  person  under  25 
 to  97.1%  for  households  headed  by  a  person  between  65  and  69.  ƒ 
 Households  with  one  person  had  a  penetration  rate  of  92.5%,  compared  to  a  rate  of  96.4% 
 for  households  with  four  or  five  persons.  ƒ 
 The  penetration  rate  for  unemployed  adults  was  92.3%,  while  the  rate  for  employed 
 adults  was  96.3%. 


 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 
 Qualex  International  at  (202)  863-  2893  to  purchase  a  copy.  This  report  can  also  be  downloaded 
 from  the  FCC-  State  Link  Internet  site  at  <  http://  www.  fcc.  gov/  ccb/  stats  >. 


 -FCC-Common 
 Carrier  contact:  Alexander  Belinfante  at  (202)  418-  0944;  TTY  (202)  418-  0484. 
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