JD Power Analyzes Average Cell Phone Bill

What’s your monthly cell phone bill? And what should you expect it to be, if you’re using services like text messaging, email, and downloadable music?

That’s the question at the center of a new JD Power & Associates report that details cell phone spending habits, broken down by services used. And the answer? Reported monthly spending is $14 higher among customers who use the more advanced features – $14 doesn’t seem bad at all, for the added value inherent in these features. Overall, the numbers are $77 per month for more intensive use versus $63 per month for basic use.

Also, those users who revel in multimedia/non-voice features tend to spend nearly twice as much on the handset itself, as compared to folks who buy a cell phone strictly for its utility as a telephone. This, too, is unsurprising.

More generally, the average monthly cell phone bill has increased $13 since 2005, largely due to the popularity of added content, and now stands at $73 a month. Consider this news a reminder – if you’re into heavy text messaging and other kinds of mobile content, it’s wise to take a look at the optional settings included in your current wireless plan. If you’re paying a lot more than an average user, try to optimize your bill by tweaking the add-ons to meet your level of use.

Finally, as is standard with JD Powers & Associates’ regular market research reports, they’ve supplied the latest figures on customer satisfaction. The study released today puts Sony Ericsson at the top of the heap when it comes to overall satisfaction, with Samsung and Motorola following close behind.