U.S. Mobile Phone Sales Up, As Old Phones Get Tossed

U.S. mobile phone sales to consumers in the first quarter increased more than 11 percent, as wireless subscribers threw out their old phones for new ones.

Shipments reached 34.8 million units in the quarter, as sales neared $2.3 billion, The NPD Group said. The increase compared to the same period last year was due to a strong demand for replacement models and from new subscribers.

Motorola continued to lead the U.S. market, boosting its share to 29 percent with the popularity of its RAZR models. Nokia and Samsung were second with 18 percent apiece, followed by LG, 15 percent; Kyocera, 4 percent; and Sanyo and Sony Ericsson, 3 percent each.

Bluetooth, a short-range wireless technology, was the most popular mobile-phone feature in the quarter. The number of handsets equipped with the capability increased to 18 percent from 9 percent in the second quarter last year.