U.S. Wireless Data Hits New High

Wireless data service revenues climbed to more than $19.4 billion for the first half of 2009, CTIA-The Wireless Association says. This represents a 31 percent increase over the first half of 2008. In addition, wireless data revenues were more than 25 percent of all wireless service revenues.

The survey also found that more than 246 million data-capable devices are in use, while more than 40 million of these devices are Ssmartphones or wireless-enabled PDAs. More than 10 million are wireless-enabled laptops, notebooks or aircards.

More than 740 billion text messages carried on carriers’ networks during the first half of 2009, roughly 4.1 billion messages per day. That’s nearly double the number from last year, when only 385 billion text messages were reported for the first half of 2008.

Wireless subscribers are also sending more pictures and other multi-media messages with their mobile devices—more than 10.3 billion MMS messages were reported for the first half of 2009, up from 4.7 billion in mid-year 2008.

As of June 2009, the industry survey recorded more than 276 million wireless users. This represents a year-over-year increase of nearly 14 million subscribers.

Wireless customers used more than 1.1 trillion minutes in the first half of 2009—breaking down to 6.4 billion minutes-of-use per day—and six-month wireless service revenues of nearly $76 billion.