Telephone Subscribership Report (through July 1998)

The number and percentage of households that have telephone service represent the most basic measures of the extent of universal service. Continuing analysis of telephone penetration statistics allows us to examine the aggregate effects of Commission actions on households' decisions to maintain, acquire or drop telephone service. This report presents comprehensive data on telephone penetration statistics collected by the Bureau of the Census under contract with the Federal Communications Commission. Along with telephone penetration statistics for the United States and each of the states from November 1983 to July 1998, data are provided on penetration based on various demographic characteristics.