U.S. fixed network voice connections declined 3 percent between June 2010 and June 2011, according to the latest Federal Communications Commission (FCC (News - Alert)) data.

Though the use of IP telephony and VoIP connections grew 17 percent from 29 million to 34 million, retail switched access lines decreased 8 percent, from 122 million to 112 million, between June 2010 and June 2011.

Since December 2008, fixed network voice connections have dropped from 141 million to 112 million – a loss of 29 million voice lines total.

In comparison, FCC data for 2009 indicated there were 279.6 million mobile subscriptions in service. CTIA (News - Alert) estimates for the end of 2009 indicated there were 285.6 million mobile subscribers at the end of 2009.

The latest CTIA data for 2011 show 331.6 million mobile subscribers. That suggests something on the order of 443.6 million voice accounts in service, of which wireless represents75 percent of all U.S. voice lines in service.

Of the 146 million wireline retail local telephone service connections in June 2011, 84 million (or 58 percent) were residential, while 62 million (42 percent) were business connections.

About 38 percent of all lines were residential switched access lines, 39 percent businessswitched access lines, 20 percent residential interconnected VoIP subscriptions, and 3 percent business interconnected VoIP subscriptions.