Wireless communications trade organisation CTIA-The Wireless Association has found that mobile data usage exceeded 1.1 trillion MB from July 2011 to June 2012, a 104% increase from the previous 12 months. Its new survey also revealed that 41% of the country’s mobile connections are currently smartphones and approaching 17% are tablet devices.

There are now 321.7 million mobile connections in the USA, the equivalent of 101% mobile penetration. Most of these are ‘pay monthly’ tariffs although 23.3% of subscribers now have prepaid accounts; a 10% increase from the previous year.

Other key figures are:

• Number of active data-capable devices: 300.4 million (up 8% year-on-year)
• Number of wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 21.6 million (up 42% year-on-year)
• Minutes of Use: 2.321 trillion (up 3% year-on-year)
• SMS text messages sent and received: 2.273 trillion (up 3% year-on-year)
• MMS sent and received: 58.3 billion (up 10.6% year-on-year)
• Average local monthly wireless bill (includes voice, data and text): $47.16 (down 0.2% year-on-year)
• Number of cell sites: 285,561 nationwide (up 11% year-on-year)

Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA, said “As our survey proves, today’s wireless industry offers consumers not only the world’s best products and services, but also the best value. Americans are using more voice, data and text than ever before, but are paying less for their wireless usage than even a year ago. Thanks to the fiercely competitive wireless industry, consumers have a variety of choices from which provider to contract or prepaid plans to devices. With the persistent increase in usage, this survey is another proof point for why our members need more spectrum to meet consumer demands. We appreciate the FCC’s NPRM [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking] on the incentive auction of broadcast television spectrum and hope that it’s brought to market quickly so that our members may continue to innovate and invest in our nation’s economy.”

[Full report]