How Many Cell Phone Calls Are Made a Day?

13.5 Billion Cell Phone Calls Per Day Worldwide

According to a report by Statista, in 2021 there were an estimated 13.5 billion mobile phone calls made per day worldwide. This figure includes both voice calls and video calls made using mobile devices. It is important to note that this is just an estimate and the actual number of phone calls made per day may be higher or lower than this figure.

The average person makes or receives 8 mobile phone calls per day.  That is roughly 2.4 billion phone calls across the 300 million cell phone user in the U.S.  The average mobile phone user in the U.S makes 250 phone calls per month or 3,000 phone calls per year.  There are 300 million cell phone users in the United States so if you do the math that is 900 billion cell phone calls made per year.

Do you know what percent of calls are dropped?  Our surveys say that the average cell phone customer drops 12 percent of their phone calls which is probably a conservative estimate.  100,000,000,000 billion phone calls are dropped each year and consumers have very few solutions accept cell phone boosters and femtocells which the FCC is trying to ban. These numbers are calculated by with a Verizon customers who claim to drop 5 percent of their calls and AT&T iPhone user who claim they drop 1 in 6 calls or between 15 to 20 percent.   We have read the ChangeWave surveys and that claim AT&T and Verizon customers drop 4.5 to 1.5 percent of the calls and we all know these are not true.

The average mobile phone user pays $59 per month for service and this factors out to approximately .24 cents per phone call for 250 minutes.  So if the average person drops 12 percent of their calls per month you are paying $7.08 for calls that should be if your carrier refunded the dropped call.  Carriers should be refunding $85 per year to customers on average if dropped calls were refunded as credits.  Thats a total $25 billion dollars that carriers are stealing from their customers.

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How Many Text Messages Are Sent a Day?
How Much Does AT&T Charge for Text Message Overage?

How Much Does AT&T Charge for Text Message Overage?

Going over your 1000 text message limit will cost you .10 cents extra per message.  Text messaging costs the average AT&T customer $10 per month for 1000 text messages whether you use them or not. $20 per month will get you the unlimited Domestic text plan. It doesn't sound like a lot until you go over your text messaging limit which can add up or if you send International text messages.  Domestic text rates do not apply for International text messages. Charges for international messages sent from the U.S. are $0.25 for Text Messages and $0.50 for Picture/Video Messages. Charges for usage while roaming internationally: $0.50 for each text message sent, $1.30 for each picture/video message sent, and $0.0195 for each kilobyte used. Standard rates apply to all incoming messages as well.

We estimate that each wireless custom free generates .33 cents in revenue per day for text messages which is roughly a $10 billion dollar per year business for AT&T or $30 million dollars per day.  Its also pretty ironic that AT&T (NYSE: T) pays $10 billion dollars per year in dividends

.  Coincidence or a house of cards that is wait to fall?  Here are 10 other reasons why charging for text messaging is a scam.

What if you could save $60 - $240 per year in text messages with free text messaging services?  The average AT&T customer sends out 621 text messages per month which are approximately 20 messages per day.  The cost of text messaging is .33 cents per day which do not sound like a lot.  Free text messaging is growing with companies like Facebook, Google Voice and Apple getting into the game.  Our thesis is that the handset and software manufacturers Apple, Google & Microsoft will soon be getting into the data delivery business and will be subsiding messaging with mobile advertisements.  

Why China Has $10 Per Month iPhone Service Plans?

China Has Fair Competition & U.S. Has Corruption

China Unicom is trying to grab additional customers before its exclusivity with the iPhone ends. The wireless carrier is starting a new promotion that drops the price on its lowest iPhone plan to 66 yuan (US$10) a month.  That's $120 per year and very cheap.  This comes two years later after China Unicom (CHU) was offering free iPhones to customers who had the most expensive data plans. China Unicom is the only carrier in China to offer the iPhone with a service contract and it added 1.82 million 3G subscribers for a total of 20.4 million in April of 2011. China Unicom lagged behind the 29.4 million 3G users for China Mobile, whose total customer base of 606 million is almost double Unicom’s 324 million. China Telecom is the country’s biggest fixed-line carrier and is in talks with Apple to offer a CDMA version of the iPhone. Read more on Business Week.

It makes you wonder about the crooks AT&T and Verizon who charge $200 for GSM or CDMA iPhone and still charge $100 per month for data plans.  This has to make you question if the US has fair competition if Verizon & AT&T are paying shareholders $5-$10 billion dollars per year in dividends?  We think ad-supported wireless is coming in a big way to the world and that the used $100 iPhones market will start feeding the rest of the world.  Handset manufacturers and carriers will be giving phone and wireless services away soon.  China Mobile plans to add 1 Million Free WiFi Hotspots.

Why is Verizon Wireless Providing Temporary Cell Towers in Joplin, Missouri?

Verizon Wireless "Theoretical Cell Service Maps" in Joplin, Missouri

Why is Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) providing temporary cell towers in Joplin, Missouri.  Verizon's press release is very confusing and lacks any context of why they are doing this?  There is not mention in the press release that their existing cell tower or network in the area was damaged.  If you look at Verizon's coverage maps in Joplin, Missouri it shows perfect coverage throughout the City and State.  This is a perfect example of why cell towers are not reliable in emergencies.  Cell towers provide to few points of failure in a natural disaster like a tornado.  The only solution is for more options for communication like broadband data across hundreds of nodes and not just a few cell phone towers that might go down in a tornado.

Joplin, Missouri DeadCellZones.com Coverage Complaints

I am suspicious of this press release because Verizon is notorious for claiming they have coverage in an area that is blatantly not true.  We want to hear from you in you live or work in the area prior to the tornado.  We want to know how Verizon Wireless performed in the surrounding area of Joplin, Missouri before the disaster.  Please submit your comments below.   You can also submit your Verizon Wireless coverage complaints directly on our map.  We don't have many comments in the area but we do for AT&T and T-Mobile.  Click on the map above. 

How is Verizon's Network Handling the iPhone?

We have started to receive a lot more dropped call and dead zone complaints from Verizon Wireless customers this year now that Verizon has iPhone running on its network.  The Verizon wireless coverage problems seem to be occurring more on the East Coast vs the West Coast. See our Verizon Dead Zones Map.

It also seems a little hypocritical of AT&T and Verizon  to be offloading data on the iPhone to WiFi when you are paying for expensive and overpriced 3G data plans.   WiFi is free and smart consumers are going to need to learn how to live without 3G and 4G in the future because the networks will never be able to handle the traffic.  Wireless armageddon is coming in 2012 and the only solution is more open WiFi networks distributing the traffic.

Verizon's CDMA iPhone only works on 3G is has been reported to be much slower than the AT&T network.   Verizon's iPhone is at a disadvantage because it accesses Verizon’s EV-DO  network, which tops out at 3.1 mbps down, while the AT&T iPhone is capable of hitting 7.2 down on AT&T’s HSDPA network.  I

Wireless Competition Before the iPhone

Wireless Before the AT&T iPhone in 2006

The US wireless market was far more competitive before AT&T got the iPhone exclusive and this is how the market looked with AT&T / Cingular having 27% of the market with only 60 million customers.  Verizon Wireless had 26% of the market with 59M, Sprint / Nextel 23% 52M, T-Mobile 11% 25M, Alltel 5% 11M and US Cellular 2.5% with 6M.   How is wireless competition today and how have mergers consolidated the wireless industry?

The iPhone was the start of the smartphone revolution and AT&T took a year and half to negotiate with Apple to get an exclusive on it.   Its important to look back at the history of innovation before the iPhone came on to he market.  Verizon turned down the iPhone and the rest of the telecom industry greeted Apple with skepticism over whether they could make a phone that consumers would want since they were largely a PC company.  AT&T had to respond to competitive pressure 5 years ago and was forced to negotiate with Apple not knowing how successful the iPhone was going to be.

Here is a great example of how the telecom industry would have held us back from innovation if Steve Jobs had not required YouTube and other features be added to the iPhone.  Apple had to fight with AT&T in order to get the YouTube feature added on the deck and it took a year and half to get it.  Keep in mind we also had fewer dropped calls and better network service in 2006 as well.  So when a carrier like AT&T raises the argument that they will bring innovation in a duopoly competitive market they are lying.  The only thing carriers can do is protect their turf and try and keep up with the competition of WiFi that will soon surpass the capabilities of controlled and non-scalable 4G and LTE.  They will forever be dump pipes that transmit data and we should make sure that they have zero power to raise margins and prices for the sake of technology innovation and growth.

Apple iPhone had the vision which paved the way for Google to roll out Android with T-Mobile.   I think T-Mobile was the most brilliant of the carriers taking the risk and having the vision to launch Android.  The telecom industry was skeptical of course as well but look where we are now.  Its great to see the corrupt carriers losing control over data access while at the same time seeing the growth of unlicensed wireless data access WiFi and soon to be White Spaces.  The future is not longer about charge for data but about free wireless through location based advertising to get the rest of the World using smartphones who cannot afford it.  

How to Get a Broken iPad Replaced for Free

Apple Stores Have Great Customer Service!

Will Apple retail stores replace broken iPads?  I heard two examples on Twit.tv today that loyal Apple customers have had successful experiences taking their broken iPads into Apple stores and getting them replaced.  It was clear if they got them replaced for free but it sounded like it.  Is this too good to be true?  We would appreciate your feedback below in the Disqus comments section.

Shattered or broken iPads screens are not covered under Apple Care.  Twit.TV cited two examples of situations where iPad customers were able to get their iPads replaced.  This is great customer service by Apple and we commend them for not charging customers.  I wish this was true for iPhone customers who frequently crack their screens and batteries need to be replaced.  Apple has charged $79 charges to iPhone batteries and we wonder how long customer service will be giving free replacements for customers who damage their screens. 

History of US Wireless Telecom Consolidation

US Mergers and Acquisitions of Wireless Telecom in the US

List of companies consolidated by Sprint (NYSE: S), Verizon (NYSE: VZ), T-Mobile (DTEGY.PK) & AT&T (NYSE: T).  Here is a chart explaining the acquisitions and the year it took place.  This slide was contributed on the Rural Wireless Telecom webcast to help the industry understand why the AT&T and T-Mobile merger is too big!

Sprint: Nextel (2005).
Verizon:  Nynex (1995), PrimeCo (1999), Airtouch (1999), Vodafone Airtouch (1999), GTE (2000), Unicel (2007), Alltel (2009), Western Wireless (2005).
AT&T:  Bell South Mobility (2000), SBC (2000), Cingular (2004), Dobson Cellular Systems (2008), Centennial Wireless (2009).
T-Mobile: Founded as Voice Stream (1994), Omnipoint (2000), Aerial Communications (2000), Powertel (2001),  Changed the name to T-Mobile USA (2002), SunCom (2007).  

Jon Stewart on FCC & Comcast Corruption

We all know the FCC is a joke but this one takes the cake as one of the most ridiculous conflicts of interest I have ever heard. The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart just railed the former FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker for becoming a lobbyist for Comcast. The hilarious segment was complete with booing and hissing from the audience when the commissioner’s actions were revealed.  Criticism of Commissioner Baker has come from almost every media outlet including The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Rolling Stone and now The Daily Show.  Freepress has collected more than 60,000 letters urging Rep. Darrell Issa to investigate Baker’s sudden departure with a goal of 100,000 before delivering them to the congressman.  Send you a letter demanding the resignation and clamping down of the FCC corruption. 

Why is Verizon Wireless Reception Poor on the East Coast?

Does Verizon Wireless use a different frequency on the East Coast vs the West Coast?  We have also been receiving a great number of complaints for Verizon since the iPhone and iPad 3G CDMA devices have been available on their network.   On our Verizon Dead Zones map which collects anonymous complaints from customers has been receiving a greater number of coverage complaints proportionately in Eastern States like New York, Florida, Georgia & New Jersey.  What is the the explanation for this?  On the West Coast we tend to get more AT&T Wireless dead zone complaints versus Verizon.  Is this because their is a great concentration of iPhone users in the West Coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco? 

FCC: Understanding Wireless Coverage Areas

FCC Article: Understanding Wireless Coverage Areas

Coverage Maps and Other Coverage Research.  Before choosing a wireless service provider or a plan, it is wise to research the various providers to determine the extent of their coverage in the areas that matter most to you. You can research a wireless service providers’ coverage area in a number or ways:

• Ask neighbors, colleagues, and friends. You can also visit Internet sites (such as www.deadcellzones.com) that list specific dead spots (submitted by individuals). Information on dead spots is organized by wireless service provider and location.
• Test the wireless service providers’ plan and coverage area on a trial basis, if possible. Some wireless providers offer trial periods, during which you can test a phone before you are committed to a service contract and have to pay a significant fee to terminate that contract. Be aware, however, that if you terminate during a trial period or at any other time, most wireless service providers will not refund any activation or usage fees. During the trial period, you may want to test the phone in the areas where you plan to use it most frequently to determine if the actual coverage suits your needs.
• Check out the wireless service providers‘ coverage map on its Web site and/or in stores where its products are sold. Often these maps show very general coverage for entire regions. The maps usually carry a disclaimer saying they are provided for informational purposes only and that actual coverage may vary. There may be holes where the service provider does not have cell sites or where the topography causes dead zones. With few exceptions, the maps do not indicate signal strength or dead zones. Additionally, these coverage maps are not intended to show whether coverage is provided in obstructed areas, like buildings, tunnels, and underground garages. While wireless service providers often deploy in-building wireless solutions for these areas, any lack of coverage is usually not disclosed.

There is no guarantee that your phone will work in an area, even if it is included on a wireless service providers’ published coverage map. Just because a wireless service provider generally advertises service to an area, there may be several reasons why the service is not reliably available in all locations. Although wireless service providers attempt to design their networks to eliminate dropped calls, busy signals, and dead zones, no network is perfect, so coverage breaks within the general coverage areas are still possible. Specific and/or updated information may not be available on maps provided by the wireless service provider, because coverage is frequently changing.

DeadZones.com Censored Blog Posts

10 Reasons Why The FCC is a Joke

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson Executive Compensation

AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega Executive Compensation

Al Franken Rips AT&T's Coverage Map

Ooooh . . . That's a Great Map!

Thanks to the strong support of a strong U.S. Senator Al Franken, AT&T might actually have an opponent in the Government who won't approve the merger. Al is not on AT&T's political payroll. In this short video clip for CSPAN Senator Franken makes fun of AT&T's map directly to the CEO of AT&T Randall Stephenson. He then moves on to other back-haul issues after Randall Stephenson and others on the panel acknowledge that competition is a National issue. Read more and listen to more of the testimony on Al Franken opposing the merger and modification of net neutrality laws. Al Franken argues against the current practices of the Department of Justice and the FCC analyzing competition on a local level. Its wrong and the companies competing in the marketplace and everyone knows it. This quote came 1 hour and 30 minutes into the full Senate hearing.

10 Reasons Why The FCC is a Joke

1) FCC evaluates competition locally and not Nationally. Are they stuck in the '90's?
2) FCC is funded by Verizon, AT&T & Comcast, and not taxpayers.
3) No transparency & FCC complaints go into a mysterious black hole

4) FCC thinks rural carriers have a fair competition with National carriers.
5) FCC violated our trademark and tried to replicate our dead zones service.
6) FCC trusts AT&T lies and propaganda.
7) It takes 10 years for FCC to force Verizon & AT&T to roam for regional carriers
8) FCC tried to ban cell phone signal boosters at the request of carriers
9) FCC refuses to acknowledge consumers getting screwed and our data.

10) FCC Staffers leaving to become a lobbyist for telecom companies.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson Executive Compensation

Randall Stephenson of AT&T Made $27 Million in 2010

The CEO of AT&T makes $25M+ dollars per year.  Is this because of good business practices as some conservatives might call it or unfair advantages on competition?  Randall made a modest salary of $1,533,333 in 2010 while also taking home an additional $25 million in stock bonuses and "other" compensation according to Forbes.  Not only is this compensation outrageous but AT&T shareholders were paid out $10 billion dollars in dividends in 2010.  Sounds like a huge ponzi scheme to me or a house of cards that needs to be knocked down for the sake of consumers and all Americans. Ralph de la Vega the CEO of AT&T Wireless which is a wholly owned subsidiary made $11 million dollars in 2010.  I am all for big businesses exercising their right to compete in the marketplace but you have to ask yourself is their enough competition?  AT&T is the top donor to Congress is paying just about every influential politician on Capital Hill and has a massively corrupt union.   Here are the full details of Randall Stephenson's CEO compensation.

Salary	$1,533,333.00
Bonus	$0.00
Restricted stock awards	$12,749,977.00
All other compensation	$417,410.00
Option awards $	$494,731.00
Non-equity incentive plan compensation	$5,050,000.00
Change in pension value and nonqualified deferred compensation earnings	$7,096,177.00
Total Compensation	$27,341,628.00

Senator Al Franken on Net Neutrality & Merger

You have to love an honest politician from the Midwest who fights for the average consumer.  Al Franken rips AT&T's coverage maps.  Contrary to what the misleading video headline says.  Al Franken does support Net Neutrality but not its' current corrupt form.  He wants Net Neutrality without the current loopholes proposed in the revised legislation that has been pushed by the big carriers and telecom companies.  He will block the legislation and hopefully will try and do the same to block the merger.  Al has had some great quotes on CSPAN recently with regards to supporting OPEN Net Neutrality rules without loop holes and blocking the AT&T and T-Mobile merger. Al Franken thinks that having another wireless oligopoly is a bad idea for consumers.  Al Franken grilled Randall Stephenson CEO of AT&T today with some great questions.   If we can get our hands on the YouTube video of him mocking AT&T's huge coverage maps I will post it below.  Fast forward to 1 hr and 30 minutes in this Al Franken CSPAN video.  Al Franken, "Oooh AT&T it's a great map!"

Google $20 Per Month Netbooks for Students

Google Has a Great Solution To Students Getting Ripped Off

Congrats to Google for launching a very cool project of $20 per month netbooks.  I want one and want to know where can I get a Google Chrome Notebook for $20 per month?  I want a Google Chrome Netbook but I am not a student.  If the test is successful for students these notebooks will likely eventually be given to the masses that can't afford 3G or 4G LTE?  Cloud computing is the future and if you are a Google Gmail, Google Voice, Google Docs and Google Chrome browser user there is no need to buy an expensive Apple laptop or PC.

The wireless carriers and Apple and PC developers have been ripping off consumers for years selling $1-$2K laptop hardware to students that only lasts for a few years.   On top of your expensive laptop your local carrier AT&T and Verizon want you to spend another $1000 per year for 4G LTE data plans when WiFi is free on most campuses.  Google recognizes that cheaper hardware is better to get content to the masses of people who can't afford it on top of their tuitions.  Free ad supported wireless is coming in a big way and Google Chrome is an ideal display screen to for video and Location Based Ads. Why charge for service when you can subside content with ads?

Cox Location Based Advertising

Cox has been testing location-based advertising in Arizona and San Diego for their TV and broadband customers.  However, are they going to bring the same location-based advertising to mobile phone or wireless?  Cox has been very secretive about their plans in wireless and I only ask this question to try and get some answers that have not been covered by bloggers or the media.  Will their mobile location based advertising be for WiFi or their own regional wireless network?  Are they working with other carriers to roam on their network?  How many customers do they have and who is using their services?   Do they have enough customers to scale the advertising properly?   Please ad your suggestions and comments are below.  

How does location based advertising work for broadband and TV subscribers?  According to the Cox web site their: location-based advertising helps deliver offers and incentives from national brands and local businesses with content tailored to your area. Location based advertising uses your zip code, including the last four digits, to identify your area and display relevant ads.

Cellular South Opposes the Merger

Dan Hesse of Sprint opposes the merger and now Victor H. "Hu" Meena CEO of Cellular South @CellularSouth also opposes the AT&T & T-Mobile merger.  Both were testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capital Hill today. Other rural carriers Leap Wireless, Cellular South, Cellular One, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell also appose the merger.

Does AT&T Have Enough Wireless Spectrum?

AT&T already has a sufficient spectrum and the only reason for the merger is to maximize shareholder value and grow the company. Phillip Humm T-Mobile CEO and Randall Stephenson CEO of AT&T says the 800 Mhz spectrum will improve in-building coverage and this is wrong. This is a white lie and this spectrum will never improve the penetration of coverage through walls, trees, metal, and hills. The argument that AT&T needs T-Mobile's spectrum and T-Mobile doesn't have enough spectrum is purely a phony lie that does not make any sense at all. The issue is the backhaul and fragmentation of wireless nodes. AT&T and T-Mobile only warehousing spectrum and not using it in areas that don't have sufficient coverage.  AT&T is not using spectrum 1/3 of its' Spectrum in over 20 markets throughout the US says Gigi Sohn founder of Public Knowledge. 

How Many WiFi Hotspots are in the World?

100,000,000 WiFi HotSpot Locations Around the World

WeFi has 92,000,000 hotspot WiFi locations in its location database from its users who collect location based IP address in mobilie phone apps through war driving and normal use.  JiWire has 560,000 registered locations and Boingo has 325,000 paid registered locations.  By conservative estimates 100M is probably only half of the WiFi hotspots assuming only 50% have been found or registered.  The sadist part only a fraction of these (less than 1%) are registered and open for public use.  What if all of these WiFi locations were free, open or ad supported like the popular Fon.com shared WiFi model in France?  I call it a disruptive Wireless Revolution that doesn't bode well for AT&T and Verizon who want you to pay $1,000 per year for unreliable 4G LTE.  

AT&T HSPA+ 4G Phones

HTC Inspire, Motorola ATRIX and Samsung Infuse

AT&T now claims to have 80% of their network with HSPA+ but they don't provide a coverage map yet.  Also, AT&T does not tell you that your old phone and iPhone will not work on the HSPA+ network and you will be required to buy a new phone like the ones below that are AT&T 4G compatible. All of you iPhone lovers who just bought the iPhone 4 won't work on the faster AT&T's HSPDA network. The HTC Inspire sells for $499, Motorola ATRIX for $699 and the Samsung Infuse is $199.  Very expensive if you ask me even with a data contract subsidy for $200 to $300.  T-Mobile has had 4G HSPA+ for over a year and has a lot more phones to choose from if you plan to switch before the merger.  Search Amazon.com for at&t 4g phones.

How Many AT&T Microcells Have Been Sold?

In just 2 years AT&T now has 350,000 Microcells on their network compared to 256,000 cell phone towers.   Sprint has 250,000 femtocells on their network as well.  Microcells are growing a lot faster than cell phone towers despite the poor reviews from customers.  Many AT&T customers experience the Microcell dropping calls which is distributed by Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) & designed by IP Access.  Microcells sell for $150-$200, however, many people are learning how to complain to AT&T and get a free Microcell. 

It is also going to be interesting to see how the T-Mobile customers will be affected by the merger and the change in culture towards femtocells.  T-Mobile does not believe in the femtocell concept and has stuck with WiFi calling which works great.  T-Mobile has always maintained the position that they will have their customers use WiFi to make phone calls onto the network when cellular reception is non-existent.  

AT&T has 256,000 traditional cell phone towers which AT&T claims to have and says is growing to 500,000 but I don't believe them.  This would only happen if they would acquire T-Mobile and thus would be many overlapping sites.  AT&T would likely divest many of these towers in the process.  So why all the hype about 4G infrastructure when connectivity is getting fragmented onto WiFi?  Why are carriers hyping 4G  when G still stinks and that WiFi is not secure and therefore you should always connect through their network?  The costs of a Microcell vs Cell Phone Tower makes you think that there could be other alternative forms of unlicensed communication in the future through WiFi for free. 

How Much Do Cell Towers Cost?

Most cell towers cost between $75,000 and $200,000 depending on where it is located. The average tower cost is between $100,000 to $150,000 and could take years to get zoning approval and the attention of a carrier.  The cell tower lease rates could gross between $18,000 to $90,000 per year depending on the number of carriers who piggyback on the tower location.

Here are the cell tower lease rates by State.  Cell tower stocks should be concerned about the growing WiFi trend and need to start thinking about WiFI locations as a threat.  At Boingo's market capitalization of 425M, each hot spot site is worth $1,300.  You figure each WiFi hot spot has multiple WiFi antennas so your average cost is far less than $1,000 and provides better coverage indoors.   Pretty cheap and economical if you ask me.   We think that 4G LTE networks are going to implode on themselves and cause wireless armageddon.

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Free WiFi Hotspots Growing 5X Faster than Cell Towers