68% of Americans Want to ‘Earn’ Their Way Out of Phone Bill, Survey Finds

National consumer survey reveals eroding loyalty to traditional telecoms, new gamification economy around phone bills

Outline

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SINGAPORE - July 7, 2026: A newsurvey from Circles, the global technology companypowering digital telco operators, reveals a powerful “gamification” opportunityaround the monthly phone bill, a trust gap betweentraditional mobile carriersand financial institutions and growing consumer openness to mobile plans offered by banksand retailers.

For the full survey findings, visit:

https://circles.co/in-the-loop/insights-from-us-telco-consumer-survey-2026

The survey,conducted in May 2026, polled 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older and found that the monthly phone bill is emerging asa powerful “gamification” opportunity, with 68% of Americans findingthe idea of earning everydayrewards to offsettheir bill appealing. A majority also saidthey would change their spending behaviors and brand choices to make it happen.

The findingspoint to a broader trend as telecom providers are facing a trust deficit withtheir own customers. Consumerstrust their banks nearly three times more than their mobile carriers with personal data. While thedata points to an appetite for mobile experiences that go beyond connectivity,the trust gap is driving real openness to non-traditional alternatives, from bank-integrated phone plans to mobileservices bundled into retail loyaltyprograms.

“The datafrom the study is a great validation that consumers are ready for a new worldof perceiving value from their telco connection,” said Awais Malik, Chief Growth Officer at Circles.“In Singapore, Circles’ consumer telco brand Circles.Life, is already seeingearly success with two FinX-powered products: a semi-open wallet and a cashbackcard. The program has delivered 5× growth in monthly transactions per user anda 10× increase in monthly spend, while also contributing to a 30-pointyear-on-year increase in customer NPS.”

The survey results furtherillustrate the scale of the opportunity for mobile providers. Key findings include:

59% of consumers

trust their bank most with personal data, versus just 20% who trust their mobile provider and 13% who trust technology companies.

50% are interested in mobile service

from a frequently shopped retailer if it included loyalty perks; 38% of consumers would consider switching to a bank’s mobile plan if their primary bank offered one.

44% are comfortable

with a provider using their mobile usage data to personalize financial or shopping offers, compared to 30% who are not.

What drives switching decisions

51% say lower monthly cost is the single biggest factor driving a mobile provider switch.

38% cite network reliability

as their top concern about switching to a nontraditional provider, followed by data privacy (36%) and hidden fees (27%).

26% of consumers

switched mobile providers in the past two years, compared to 18% who switched banks and 13% who switched a primary retail brand.

Appetite for rewards that offset the mobile bill

68% of consumers

find the idea of offsetting their mobile bill through everyday spending rewards appealing (30% very, 38% somewhat).

58% say they would actively change their spending behaviors

including which brands and platforms they choose, to earn rewards that lower their phone bill.

Top categories consumers

want to earn bill-reducing rewards from: paying utilities/bills (41%), online shopping (37%), dining and food delivery (28%), groceries (26%), and subscriptions (22%).

The data reflectsbroad consumer interest in mobile experiences that extend beyond connectivity, with cost savings,loyalty rewards and trusted providerrelationships emerging as the defining factors in how Americansthink about their mobile plans today.

About Circles

Founded in 2014, Circles is a global technology company reimagining the telco industrywith its innovative SaaSplatform, empowering telco operators worldwide to effortlessly launchinnovative digital brandsor refresh existingones, accelerating theirtransformation into techcos.

Today, Circles partnerswith leading telco operators across 14 countries and 6continents, including KDDI Corporation, EtisalatGroup (e&), AT&T,and Telkomsel, creatingblueprints for future telcoand digital experiences enjoyed by millions of consumers globally.

Circles is backed by renowned global investors, includingPeak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia), Warburg Pincus, Founders Fund,and EDBI (the investment arm of the Singapore Economic Development Board), witha track record of backing industry challengers.

For more information, visit www.circles.co.

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