US wireless consumer data use, industry investment reach new record highs, says CTIA
Wireless networks supported more data traffic than ever in 2022, 73 trillion megabytes, marking the better year-over-year increase in history and growth, according to CTIA‘s 2023 annual wireless industry survey.
The U.S. wireless industry also invested a record $39 billion (€35.60 billion) to grow, improve and run their networks last year. The new historic high is 12% higher than last year’s then-record setting total.
“Record wireless consumer usage is a powerful reminder of how 5G is transforming our nation, and the pressing need for Congress and the Administration to restore the FCC‘s auction authority and fuel a new spectrum pipeline,” says Meredith Attwell Baker, CTIA president and CEO.
“As demonstrated yet again last year, we know the wireless industry is fully committed to investing at historic levels in today and tomorrow’s infrastructure, leading the world in wireless innovation. We just need more licensed, exclusive-use, full-power, mid-band spectrum to keep up with the increasing demand of both consumers and enterprises, and fully unlock the promise of 5G across our country,” Baker says.
Since 1985, CTIA has surveyed U.S. wireless providers, highlighting the development of the industry. This year’s key findings show:
- America’s demand for wireless data continues to Skyrocket. U.S. wireless networks supported more than 73.7 trillion megabytes of traffic last year—20T MBs, or 38%, more than in 2021. It was good increase in mobile data traffic ever, nearly double the year-over-year increase from 2020-2021.
- Wireless industry investment hits a new high, again. Wireless investment has sustained its record-breaking pace, increasing for the fifth year in a row at a historic $39 billion (€35.60 billion). This is up 12% from last year’s previous record-setting total.
- 5G adoption and use show no signs of slowing. By the end of 2022, the U.S. had nearly 162 million active 5G devices nearly double the number of 5G devices in 2021.
- Cell sites fuel a faster 5G rollout. In 2022, there were more than 142,000 small cells operating across the U.S. 13% increase over 2021. Small cells make up a growing percentage of total cell sites more than 34% in 2022.
- Americans used more voice minutes. Consumers spent more than 2.5 trillion minutes on voice calls in 2022, a nearly 5% increase from 2021.
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