A new report regarding cell phone coverage in West Virginia has found that an overwhelming majority of residents feel that rural coverage is of utmost importance and is a pressing need that should be taken seriously by the local government.

Some of the statistics that were uncovered during a recent poll in the state include:

• More than 90% of residents feel that rural cell phone coverage is important for both personal reasons and public safety reasons.
• Almost 80% of people responding to the poll have problems with dropped calls or poor call quality in the state.
• About 70% would approve of the use of USF funds for expanding and improving coverage in the state.
• Approximately 50% of people would choose a quality wireless connection over a landline connection if they could only choose one or the other. And “many” would prefer a high quality wireless connection to a quality landline broadband connection.
• “More than half also oppose Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposals that would diminish support for rural wireless by nearly 50 percent, jeopardizing public safety and economic development in smaller communities.”