Telecom revenues up in '02

WASHINGTON-Revenues of cellular and other wireless telecommunications firms, both employers and non-employers, increased 17 percent in 2002 from $78 billion in 2001 to $91 billion, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.

The agency said the increase occurred despite an overall dip in revenues for the telecommunications industry of 4 percent, from $367 billion in 2001 to $353 billion in 2002. Within this industry group, revenues of wireline telecommunications carriers were down 9 percent in 2002 to $240 billion, from $263 billion in 2001.

The report, 2002 Service Annual Survey: Information Sector Services, showed revenues for the nation’s information firms totaled $885 billion in 2002.