Analysis
NAICS 517 is the 2022 subsector for telecommunications, part of 51 (Information). Census lists 59 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 58,992 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 912,645 people at an average annual payroll of $91,984 per employee (79th percentile of national industries). 55% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 4 codes at this level within Information, with 36.7% of them.
Across its national industries Census lists 59 index entries; typical ones are cable program distribution operators, beeper (i.e., radio pager) communication carriers, long-distance telecommunication resellers (except satellite… and agents for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs).
It splits into 3 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 5174 (Satellite Telecommunications) with 429.
Its more detailed codes are 5171 Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite), 5174 Satellite Telecommunications (429 establishments) and 5178 All Other Telecommunications.
Official definition
Industries in the Telecommunications subsector group establishments that provide telecommunications and the services related to that activity (e.g., telephony, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP); cable and satellite television distribution services; Internet access; telecommunications reselling services). The Telecommunications subsector is primarily engaged in operating and/or providing access to facilities for the transmission of voice, data, text, sound, and video. Transmission facilities may be based on a single technology or a combination of technologies.
Establishments primarily engaged as independent contractors in the installation and maintenance of telecommunications systems are classified in Sector 23, Construction.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (59)
- Cable program distribution operators
- Beeper (i.e., radio pager) communication carriers
- Long-distance telecommunication resellers (except satellite telecommunications)
- Agents for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)
- Earth stations for satellite communication carriers
- Dial-up Internet service providers, using client-supplied telecommunications connections