Analysis
NAICS 517111 is the 2022 national industry for wired telecommunications carriers, part of 51711 (Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)). Census lists 16 example activities under it in the official index.
Census lists 9 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 517112, 516210, 5161 and 517121. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include cable program distribution operators, cable television distribution services, cable TV providers (except networks) and closed-circuit television (CCTV) services, among 16 in all.
For example, operating and maintaining wireless telecommunications networks are classified in 517112 (Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)) instead.
County Business Patterns publishes no national count for it, either because the code is out of the survey's scope or because the figures are suppressed to protect individual businesses.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating, maintaining, and/or providing access to transmission facilities and infrastructure that they own and/or lease for the transmission of voice, data, text, sound, and video using wired telecommunications networks. Transmission facilities may be based on a single technology or a combination of technologies. Establishments in this industry use the wired telecommunications network facilities that they operate to provide a variety of services, such as wired telephony services, including VoIP services; wired (cable) audio and video programming distribution; and wired broadband Internet services. By exception, establishments providing satellite television distribution services using facilities and infrastructure that they operate are included in this industry.
Illustrative Examples:
Broadband Internet service providers, wired (e.g., cable, DSL) Cable television distribution services Closed-circuit television (CCTV) services Direct-to-home satellite system (DTH) services Local telephone carriers, wired Long-distance telephone carriers, wired Multichannel multipoint distribution services (MMDS) Satellite television distribution systems Telecommunications carriers, wired VoIP service providers, using own operated wired telecommunications infrastructure
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Operating and maintaining wireless telecommunications networks | 517112 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) |
| Operating television and radio broadcasting networks, including satellite television and radio networks, that produce media programming for distribution through cable, satellite, streaming, or Internet broadcasting | 516210 Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers |
| Operating radio and television broadcasting stations | 5161 Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations |
| Reselling telecommunications services (except satellite telecommunications and agents for wireless telecommunications services), without operating a network | 517121 Telecommunications Resellers |
| Acting as agents for wireless telecommunications services, including operating as agents for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) | 517122 Agents for Wireless Telecommunications Services |
| Reselling satellite telecommunications services | 517410 Satellite Telecommunications |
| Providing Internet access services via client-supplied telecommunications connections (e.g., dial-up ISPs) | 517810 All Other Telecommunications |
| Providing voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services via client-supplied telecommunications connections | 517810 All Other Telecommunications |
| Providing expert advice in the field of information technology or in integrating communication and computer systems | 54151 Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
Index entries (16)
- Cable program distribution operators
- Cable television distribution services
- Cable TV providers (except networks)
- Closed-circuit television (CCTV) services
- Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) services
- Direct-to-home satellite system (DTH) services
- Internet service providers, using own operated wired telecommunications infrastructure (e.g., cable, DSL)
- Local telephone carriers, wired
- Long-distance telephone carriers, wired
- Multichannel multipoint distribution services (MMDS)
- Online access service providers, using own operated wired telecommunications infrastructure
- Satellite master antenna television service (SMATV)
- Satellite television distribution systems
- Telecommunications carriers, wired
- Television operations, closed-circuit
- VoIP service providers, using own operated wired telecommunications infrastructure