• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 2, 2003

To Mobile Phone or Not to Mobile Phone

According to a survey of adults in the US who do not own a mobile phone, conducted by Harris Interactive for AT&T Wireless, 20% of the respondents say they plan to buy one in the coming year. Still, 49% say they do not need a mobile phone...

When asked to give the reasons why they do not have a mobile phone, 22% of respondents say they are too expensive, while 12% say they do not like mobile phones.

Reasons Why US Consumers Do Not Have Mobile Phones

• Too expensive 22%
• Don't like them 12%
• Don't want a long-term contract 6%
• Plans too confusing 4%
• Didn't qualify for desired plan 3%
• Poor reception or coverage 1%

Source: Harris Interactive

Harris surveyed 503 US adults, ages 18 and older, between March and April this year. None of the respondents owned a mobile phone, but 61% did tell Harris that they would like one for when they are lost, for emergencies or for when they are running late.

For a better idea of just how many people in the US do not have a mobile phone, Yankee Group estimates that 64% of the US population had a mobile phone in 2002, up from 53% in 2001 and 48% in 2000.

And, from Lexicon Marketing, USA, in 2002, 53% of the total population in major metropolitan areas subscribed to mobile phone service. The findings from Telephia's survey of wireless subscribers and nonsubscribers showed that one in four nonsubscribers expects to sign up for service in 2003. According to the study, new subscribers in 2003 are 60% more likely to be young adults and 69% more likely to be Hispanic than the overall population of nonsubscribers. Source: Telephia, 03-03

According to the 2000 US Census, there are roughly 281.4 million people in the US. Of those people, 78.5% are age 15 and older (220.9 million).

US Population, 2000

Age	Number in Millions	% of Population
<5	19.2	6.8%
5-9	20.5	7.3
10-14	20.5	7.3
15-19	20.2	7.2
20-24	18.9	6.7
25-34	39.9	14.2
35-44	45.1	16.0
45-54	37.7	13.4
55-59	13.5	4.8
60-64	10.8	3.8
65-74	18.4	6.5
75+	16.6	5.9

Source: US Census Bureau, 2001

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