Sustaining Voice Connection in a Multi Platform Environment

Sustaining Voice Connection in a Multi. Platform Environment Carolyn Gideon Assistant Professor of International Communication and Technology Policy Inspire the Next: A Research Colloquium with Hitachi Research Institute and HCTIA October 6, 2010

US Household Voice Penetration Households with telephones (%) 97, 0% 96, 0% 95, 0% 94, 0% 93, 0% 92, 0% 91, 0% 2009 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 1999 1998 1997 1995 1994 1993 1991 1990 1989 1987 1986 1985 89, 0% 1983 90, 0%

Statistically significant predictors of change in telephone penetration n Decreasing Penetration change ¨ Increase in Black households ¨ Increase in mobile penetration ¨ Increase in Link-Up enrollment ¨ Disconnect for nonbasic nonpayment allowed ¨ Disconnect for nonbasic allowed * uncollectibles n Increasing Penetration Change ¨ Qwest ¨ State rule requiring no deposit * uncollectibles

Implications for transition to broadband Do more choices of services increase penetration (adoption)? n Depends on n ¨ Business Models ¨ Regulation ¨ Consumer Protection ¨ Accessibility ¨ Competition

Hearing the stories of people disconnected Total Surveys: 230 n Surveys with Disconnect: 83 n ¨ Current Disconnect: 14 ¨ Past Disconnect: 75 ¨ Current and Past: 6 n Substituted to Mobile-only before disconnected: 20

Reasons for Disconnection Joblessness n Bill increased n Bill unpredictable/uncontrollable n Bill unpredictable due to bundling n Too expensive when promotion ended n