First Report: Findings of the Survey of User Needs (SUN)

• Read the first report summarizing the findings of the Survey of User Needs (SUN)

About this Report

From 2001-2006, the Wireless RERC conducted its Survey of User Needs (SUN).  More than 1200 people responded to this survey, and about 2/3 joined the RERC’s Consumer Advisory Network (CAN).  In 2007, the RERC revised the SUN and again began collecting data.

By December, 2007, the SUN had reached 1208 responses, with just over 2/3 of respondents (839) joining the CAN. This nearly equals the number of responses achieved from 2001-2006.  This is great news for the RERC and for the wireless industry:  About 15% of the population (40 million people) has one or more disabilities (American Community Survey, 2005).   The data these consumers share through RERC research help our wireless industry partners meet customers’ needs, as well as help to identify applications useful to people without disabilities. 

This report summarizes these data and compares them with findings reported by others in 2007: 

• In June, CTIA released the findings of its CTIA Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey
• In its August online newsletter, AccessWorld Extra, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) asked readers about their experiences with cell phone accessibility. 
• In September, the U.S. Senate reported findings regarding wireless customer billing issues in the introduction of S. 2033, the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act of 2007
• In October, J.D. Power and Associates released findings of their Wireless Retail Sales Satisfaction Study

This report also summarizes findings of a longitudinal comparison of 165 individuals who participated in both the 2001-2006 and the 2007 Survey of User Needs.  This allows us to identify trends among long-term wireless customers with disabilities.

View the full report summarizing the findings if the Survey of User Needs