According to the CTIA wireless association, an amazing 250-million Americans are now subscribers to some sort of cell phone plan. That’s a massive 82.4 percent of the U.S. population. In some areas of the country, this figure may seem low; it’s rare to be wandering the streets of any major city in the United States and see someone without one. But can you picture cell-addicted-talkers in the plains of Nebraska or the wilds of Northern Alaska? Factor in all the people who live in rural areas, and you still top four out of five people.
This is impressive growth from a merely 20-something-year-old industry. Back in 1987, a little over a million Americans had cell phones. In 1997, the figure was 55 million. Now, it’s 250 million and climbing. Also climbing is data use on cell phones — in 2006, 22-million people subscribed to some sort of high-speed mobile data plan — the kind that lets you use your mobile to surf the Web, download music and video, and send pictures. This is an increase of 600-percent over the previous year alone.
With 2007’s release of the iPhone and a whole slew of other “smart” mobile devices, it looks like that growth will only continue.
From Gearlog