CTIA–The Wireless Association® Statement on the FCC’s Consumer Survey

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to the FCC’s Consumer Survey, CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO Steve Largent issued the following statement: 

“I am very troubled with the current direction the FCC is taking with respect to the wireless industry – from the messaging sent last week in the Mobile Competition Report to today's survey release. It seems the Commission is going to attempt to micromanage what is an incredible array of choices for consumers. From prepaid to postpaid, subsidized handsets to unsubsidized, contracts with ETFs to those without, large, medium or small buckets of minutes and ‘all-you-can-use’ plans, consumers have an unbelievable range of choices. Contrary to the statements in the press release, the industry does provide 'simple and easy to understand’ plans for every type of American consumer.
 
“Unfortunately, the Commission's release missed an opportunity to educate consumers. Nowhere mentioned in the documents is there any information for consumers about how they can better manage their wireless usage – information that is readily available from every carrier and that has been submitted to the Commission by CTIA and carriers. Carriers go to great lengths to keep their customers satisfied and informed. This is reflected in many surveys conducted by independent third parties such as the recent American Consumer Satisfaction Index which found that wireless customer satisfaction set an all-time high for the second consecutive year. Or the Better Business Bureau that found 97.4 percent of complaints are resolved. 
 
“If the FCC is interested in controlling 'shock' on consumer bills, they should address the most egregious part of consumers' bills, which is the almost 16% rate of taxes and fees imposed by federal, state and local governments on wireless consumers.”

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CTIA-The Wireless Association® (www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry’s voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry’s leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, DC.