The telephone service question originated with the 1960 Census and was transferred to the American Community Survey (ACS) in 2005 when it replaced the decennial census long form. The telephone question was then modified in 2019 (Housing question 8 from page 9 is pictured below). Research about this modification and copies of questionnaires are available on the ACS website.

We measure the extent of telephone service to help communities ensure their residents have universal access to assistance programs, emergency services, and important information.

2023 American Community Survey questionnaire - the phone calls question

Note: Click on the image above for an information copy of the 2023 American Community Survey questionnaire. Scroll to page 9 for Housing question 8.

Key Stats

Source: 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates.

Table B24124, Detailed Occupation for the Full-Time, Year-Round Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over

Note: Table B24124 above is scrolled down to the section with telephone-related occupations and is cropped at the bottom. Click on the image for the full table.

Table DP04, Selected Housing Characteristics, see “No telephone service available”

Note: Table DP04 above is scrolled down to “SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS,” cropped at the bottom, and modified to hide several columns. Click on the image for the full table.

More Stats

Source: Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, & Orders (M3) 1992-2023.

Communications Equipment Manufacturing, Nondefense: U.S. Total — Value of Shipments

Source: Quarterly Financial Report (QFR) 2009-2023.

Telecommunications: U.S. Total — Net Sales, Receipts, and Operating Revenues

Source: Quarterly Services Survey (QSS) 2012-2023.

517: Telecommunications: U.S. Total — Revenue

Source: 2021 Service Annual Survey (SAS).

Service Annual Survey Latest Data (NAICS-basis): 2021

Service Annual Survey 2013 through 2021: All tables, find Telecommunications [<1.0 MB]

Source: 2020 Annual Business Survey (ABS).

Table AB2000CSA01, Annual Business Survey: Statistics for Employer Firms by Industry, Sex, Ethnicity, Race, and Veteran Status for the U.S., States, and Metro Areas: 2020, featuring NAICS 517, Telecommunications

Source: 1978-2020 Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS).

Table BDSFAGEFSIZE, Business Dynamics Statistics: Firm Age by Firm Size: 1978-2020, featuring NAICS 517, Telecommunications

Source: 2020 County Business Patterns (CBP).

Table CB2000CBP, All Sectors: County Business Patterns, including ZIP Code Business Patterns, by Legal Form of Organization and Employment Size Class for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2020, notice these three codes:

NAICS 33421, Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing
NAICS 56142, Telephone Call Centers
NAICS 561421, Telephone Answering Services

Source: 2019 Nonemployer Statistics (NES).

Table NS1900NONEMP, All Sectors: Nonemployer Statistics by Legal Form of Organization and Receipts Size Class for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2019, featuring NAICS 517, Telecommunications

From Business and Economy > International Trade Data:

USA Trade Online — The Official Source of Trade Statistics

After you create an account, select options for Harmonized System (HS) or HS, select Exports or Imports, type PHONE in the Commodity search box, then select options for geography and time. Select Report for data. More information can be found in the Quick Start Guide.

Source: 2017 Economic Census.