Telecommunications

• 1Approximately how many telephone lines do you have coming into your business?
• 2Do you have local telephone service and long-distance service with one provider or do you have them from different providers?
• 3Compared to three years ago, is there much more, slightly more, about the same, slightly less, or much less competition for your LOCAL telephone business?Top 100 question
• 4In the last three years, have you or someone on your behalf, shopped for a new supplier of LOCAL telephone service?
• 4Aa(dissatisfaction with local service) The amount you were paying.
• 4Ba(dissatisfaction with local service) The lack of service options.
• 4Ca(dissatisfaction with local service) Changes made in service without your prior knowledge or consent.
• 4Da(dissatisfaction with local service) The general level of service including service interruption, repair, billing problems, can’t reach a live representative, etc.
• 4Ea(dissatisfaction with local service) The provider merged or was getting out of the business.
• 4Fa(dissatisfaction with local service) You wanted to consolidate telecommunications services with one provider.
• 4bDid you eventually change providers?
• 4cWas the reason you didn’t shop because you were satisfied with your LOCAL telephone service provider because there were no real alternatives, or because you had more pressing matters?
• 5How many providers of LOCAL telephone service are you aware of in the area where you do business?
• 6How many providers of LONG-DISTANCE telephone service are you aware of in the area where you do business?
• 7Do you personally use a cell phone for business purposes?
• 7aIs your cell phone essential, important, occasionally useful, or a modest convenience in helping you operate this business?
• 8Do you purchase cell phones, including a package of minutes, for selected employees?
• 8aHow many employees do you purchase cell phones for?
• 8bDo you expect any employees to have a cell phone for work purposes that you do not purchase for them?
• 8cCompared to three years ago, is there much more, slightly more, about the same, slightly less, or much less competition for your cell phone telephone business?Top 100 question
• 8dIn the last three years, have you or someone on your behalf, shopped for a new supplier of cell phone services?
• 81dA(reason shopped for new cell phone) You needed a different plan.
• 81dB(reason shopped for new cell phone) You wanted to upgrade technology or options.
• 81dC(reason shopped for new cell phone) Of changes made to the plan without your prior knowledge or consent.
• 81dD(reason shopped for new cell phone) Of poor service, weak signals, or dropped calls.
• 81dE(reason shopped for new cell phone) The provider merged or was getting out of the business.
• 8eDid you eventually change providers?
• 8e1Did you have to pay a contract termination penalty?
• 8fWas the reason you didn’t shop because you were satisfied with your cell phone service provider, because there were no real alternatives, or because you had more pressing matters?
• 8gHow many providers of cell phone service are you aware of in the area where you do business?
• 8hIs your current cell phone provider the same as your regular, land-line telephone service provider?
• 9Which best describes your current business situation? (Re: Internet service)Top 100 question
• 9aWhat type of high-speed Internet service do you have?
• 9bDo you sometimes use your computer as a telephone, known as voice over service?
• 9cDo you NOT have high-speed Internet service because you choose not to subscribe or because none is available in your area?
• 9c1Why do you choose not to subscribe to high-speed Internet service?
• 9dCompared to three years ago, is there much more, slightly more, about the same, slightly less, or much less competition to provide high-speed Internet service?Top 100 question
• 9eIn the last three years, have you or someone on your behalf, shopped for a new supplier of Internet service?
• 9e2Did you eventually change providers?
• 91eA(dissatisfied with Internet service) The cost of the service.
• 91eB(dissatisfied with Internet service) The reliability of the service.
• 91eC(dissatisfied with Internet service) The speed of the service.
• 91eD(dissatisfied with Internet service) The responsiveness of the provider to problems.
• 9fWas the reason you didn’t shop because you were satisfied with your Internet service provider, you were locked into a long-term contract, there were no real alternatives, or because you had more pressing matters?
• 9gHow many providers of high-speed Internet service are you aware of in the area where you do business?
• 10In your business do you have a fax machine or a multi-functional machine with a faxing capacity?
• 11Do you personally evaluate the business’s telecommunications options, have an employee do it for you, or hire an outside expert for that purpose?
• 12Are you very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident that (you/an employee/an outside expert) can make sound technical judgments about telecommunications options and how they fit your business?
• 13Do you consider the telephone bills you typically receive to be exceptionally clear and understandable, clear, confusing, or exceptionally confusing?

Volume 4, Issue 8, 2004
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation