WASHINGTON—Total wireless revenues increased more than 22 percent during the last half of last year to $34.1 billion compared with $27.8 billion during the last half of 2000, according to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association’s Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey.
The jump in revenues was fueled by a 17 percent increase in wireless subscribers to 128.4 million customers at the end of last year compared with the 109 million reported for the end of 2000. The survey also showed data services contributed $545 million in revenue last year.
To help support the growing subscriber base, wireless operators invested $105 billion in total cumulative capital investment, a 17 percent increase over the $89.6 billion invested in at the end of 2000. That capital expenditure spending included the addition of 23,252 new cell sites last year, bringing the total number of cell sites across the country to 127,540.
“That investment translates into better service in more places for wireless customers,” said Tom Wheeler, president and chief executive officer of CTIA.
