Nebraska Cell Phones

[Coyote]

Wireless phones reach milestone

For the first time in Nebraska, the number of wireless phones has surpassed the number of landlines.

Wireless phones claimed 54 percent of the combined markets for the year ending June 30, the Public Service Commission said.

I would never have thought!

[MTO]

Holy Cow! Just out of curiosity it would be interesting to see a statistical map.

[eomaha]

I'm surprised it took this long... we have 5 in our household alone!

[Coyote]

I'm surprised it took this long... we have 5 in our household alone!

5?

1 - Jeff's private
2 - Jeff's professional phone
3 - wife's private
4 - Millard South child's private
5 - Cat's Phone?

[MTO]

Daugter's phone - for car accidents
Cat's phone - when the server cord is unplugged

[Big E]

I think we may have more cable connected TV's than any household as well... at 8.

Now see, if you'd downsize to two TVs and a 1:1 people:phone ratio, you could have your dream condo downtown, Jeff! ;)

Seriously, though, that's probably a difference of $400-500/yr, there.

-Big E

[Coyote]

Cell phone users pay millions to subsidize landline service

Nebraska cell phone users contribute more than half the money in a state fund that gives millions annually to landline phone companies to help pay for rural phone service. Cell phone users receive little direct benefit from the state’s Universal Service Fund now although state officials are considering using some of the money to subsidize wireless service in high-cost areas of the state.

Critics of the fund say the state subsidies are unnecessary and discourage competition. “Nebraska doesn’t need this,” said Linda Aerni, who was part of a group that challenged the fee as an illegal tax but lost in the State Supreme Court last September. “I just don’t think the fees are justified. Period.”

Qwest received $26 million from the state fund in 2005 — the most of any phone company in Nebraska. Twenty-four other companies received at least $200,000 from the state fund that year. Nebraska has collected more than $178 million for the Universal Service Fund since July 2003, and 50 to 55 percent of that has come from cell phone users, said Jeff Pursley, who oversees the fund for the Nebraska Public Service Commission. The fund had a balance of about $25 million this month.

[Big E]

Very interesting...

I'm torn.  Right now my "vital services" side is winning the argument with my "pay your own way" side, but I could see that changing in a few years.  I think I'd feel a lot better if I were subsidizing rural cell coverage instead of rural land coverage.

-Big E