Wireless Holds Its Own

Wireless subscribers are taking advantage of increased wireless competition and are choosing their wireless carriers with more care than in previous years. Almost 60% of wireless users said they considered multiple carriers before purchasing service, according to Peter D. Hart Research Associates' nationwide telephone survey of 803 wireless users. Of that percentage, 32% decided from three or more companies. Only 25% looked at just one carrier. A year ago, 37% said they had considered only one company.

Wireless also is holding its own in the image category, receiving comparable ratings to those of local and long-distance telephone companies, and 45% consider wireless service a good/above average buy. However, this number has gone down from last year, when 58% considered wireless service a good/above average buy.

Not surprisingly, the most promising segments are the younger crowd -- the 18- to 34-year-olds -- as well as business users, heavy users and new users. They are the ones most likely to rely on their wireless phones over their home phones.