Increasing data use and smart phone sales
Customer demand for data services and applications continues to increase rapidly at U.S. Cellular, along with growing sales of smart phones and premium phones, and related data plans. In 2009:
- Data revenue per customer increased 33 percent, and
- Smart phone customer ARPU was nearly two times higher than retail service ARPU.
U.S. Cellular’s expanded 3G network is supporting increased data use. At the end of 2009, 75 percent of customers had access to 3G speeds, and 98 percent are targeted to have 3G access by the summer of 2010. We expect to make further investments in network capacity in 2010 to support the growth in data use. In addition, U.S. Cellular is continuing technical trials of 4G/LTE technology that began in 2009, and we are beginning to develop our LTE rollout plans.