The Daily. Friday, November 3, 2000
Operating revenues for the telecommunications industry were $7.4 billion in the first quarter, an increase of 9.3% from the first quarter of 1999. Operating profit totalled $1.3 billion (17.0% of operating revenues). Capital expenditures for the wireline and wireless industries were $775 million and $245 million, respectively, representing 13.2% and 19.8% of wireline and wireless operating revenues. Per-capita wireline investment was $25.34 in the first quarter, while wireless capital expenditures amounted to $33.91 for each mobile subscriber.
Full-time employment in the telecommunications industry reached 78,347 persons in the first quarter, down 1.9% from the first quarter of last year. This entailed a loss of 1,597 full-time employees in the wireline industry; however, 569 full-time positions were added to the wireless industry over the same period.
Nearly 28.3 million voice-grade access paths were available to the public-switched telephone network - 21.1 million public access lines and 7.2 million mobile telephone subscribers. Most of the recent growth in access has come from wireless or mobile services, which grew 28.3% in the first quarter over the first quarter of 1999.
The First quarter 2000 issue of Telecommunications statistics (56-002-XIB, $21/$40) will be available soon. See How to order products.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Heidi Ertl (613-951-1891) or Jo Anne Lambert (613-951-6673), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.