The FCC disclosed today that more Americans signed up for wireless devices like cell phones in 2005 than to land based access lines. 195 million Americans bought new wireless services, up from a previous count of 97 million.

The figures were released at this year's first Open Commission meeting, to which all four Commissioners attended.

In addition, FCC data indicates that Americans use their cell phones more than ever, their average minutes of use (MOUs) almost tripling to 623 MOUs a month. The price of wireless service per minute dropped in 2005 from 20 to 8 cents a minute.

The Commission praised itself for this reported growth. "Primary reliance on competition rather than regulation to safeguard wireless consumers has continued the rapid and strikingly successful development of the mobile wireless industry," one senior FCC official declared during her presentation.

The FCC auctioned out 2,567 wireless licenses last year; the winners paid over 2 billion dollars for these frequencies. Since the start of the auction program, bidders have paid over $14.5 billion to the government for permits.

The FCC's four commissioners heard reports today from seven bureaus, among them enforcement, wireless, engineering, international, and government affairs.

It was FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate's first open meeting, and she brought a sense of humor to the proceeding. "I’m sure that everyone is not surprised that I’m [sitting] at the far right," noted Tate, a Republican from Tennessee, "and so I’ll borrow a line from Johnny Cash as well. 'I walk the line.'"

In her opening statement Tate pledged to work ". . . to eliminate unnecessary economic regulation, create incentives for both investment and innovation, keeping in mind those that we serve."

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