Industry · Form 5500 business code 517000
Telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers): retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
For plan year 2024, 373 retirement plans in telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers) with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500: 332 defined contribution and 41 defined benefit. They reported 1,501,474 participant records and $200.7B in net assets, counting every plan on the form.
The median defined contribution plan held $73,442 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $2,846 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $131 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $4.06B and participants $5.73B during the year, and the plans paid out $27.1B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 498 plans with $175.7B; by 2024 it was 373 plans (down 25%) and $200.7B (up 14%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $73,442 | $53,031 | $111,813 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $2,846 | $2,174 | $10,559 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $131 | $123 | $471 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.21% | 0.26% | 0.43% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $130 | $116 | $671 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (320 DC and 41 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $39,118 | $73,442 | $126,947 | 320 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,699 | $2,846 | $4,412 | 308 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $73.88 | $131 | $229 | 305 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $62.49 | $130 | $239 | 310 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 49 | 256,716 | $53.5B | $766M | $1.58B | $84,304 | $142 |
| 2024 | 373 | 1,501,474 | $200.7B | $4.06B | $5.73B | $73,442 | $131 |
| 2023 | 380 | 1,662,909 | $192.6B | $3.99B | $5.72B | $61,719 | $123 |
| 2022 | 405 | 1,652,285 | $168.4B | $3.84B | $5.56B | $50,621 | $116 |
| 2021 | 409 | 1,601,495 | $210.5B | $3.07B | $5.46B | $61,156 | $130 |
| 2020 | 397 | 1,616,811 | $199.8B | $3.32B | $5.29B | $54,724 | $107 |
| 2019 | 393 | 1,663,921 | $185.6B | $3.39B | $4.98B | $49,240 | $91.46 |
| 2018 | 392 | 2,176,706 | $209.5B | $4.37B | $4.94B | $41,922 | $89.31 |
| 2017 | 404 | 2,237,127 | $229.0B | $5.22B | $4.76B | $46,625 | $73.83 |
| 2016 | 419 | 2,319,236 | $211.7B | $7.58B | $4.77B | $41,073 | $59.60 |
| 2015 | 413 | 2,221,219 | $197.4B | $4.05B | $4.61B | $38,577 | $48.03 |
| 2014 | 404 | 2,248,071 | $209.8B | $4.25B | $4.39B | $42,645 | $36.47 |
| 2013 | 392 | 2,247,287 | $202.2B | $13.6B | $4.25B | $43,043 | $31.07 |
| 2012 | 428 | 2,462,629 | $188.4B | $4.58B | $4.26B | $31,120 | $32.78 |
| 2011 | 435 | 2,537,328 | $182.4B | $6.35B | $4.20B | $28,706 | $27.09 |
| 2010 | 446 | 2,531,461 | $180.4B | $3.14B | $3.81B | $29,400 | $22.14 |
| 2009 | 498 | 2,683,640 | $175.7B | $2.98B | $3.83B | $24,844 | $23.80 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 371 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 371 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Retirement Savings Plan | AT&T Inc. | TX | DC | 192,505 | $43.1B | $223,973 | $5,106 | $92.27 |
| Charter Communications, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Charter Communications, Inc. | NC | DC | 120,688 | $8.95B | $74,141 | $3,572 | — |
| Verizon Savings Plan for Management Employees | Verizon Communications Inc. | NJ | DC | 112,629 | $31.3B | $278,075 | $8,226 | $57.63 |
| Charter Communications, Inc. Retirement Accumulation Plan | Charter Communications, Inc. | NC | DC | 105,040 | $1.47B | $14,042 | $1,685 | — |
| T-Mobile USA, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan & Trust | T-Mobile USA, Inc. | WA | DC | 95,644 | $9.05B | $94,640 | $2,425 | $21.42 |
| Cox Enterprises, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Cox Enterprises, Inc. | GA | DC | 62,062 | $8.13B | $131,016 | $5,212 | $87.97 |
| Cox Enterprises, Inc. Pension Plan | Cox Enterprises, Inc. | GA | DB | 51,142 | $7.13B | $139,479 | $3,534 | $458 |
| Lumen 401(k) Savings Plan | Lumen Technologies, Inc. | LA | DC | 42,516 | $6.60B | $155,340 | $3,691 | $26.65 |
| Verizon Pension Plan for Associates | Verizon Communications Inc. | NJ | DB | 37,982 | $5.70B | $149,957 | $22,617 | $275 |
| Lumen Combined Pension Plan | Lumen Technologies, Inc. | LA | DB | 35,763 | $4.22B | $117,872 | — | $210 |
| Verizon Management Pension Plan | Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc. | NJ | DB | 34,802 | $1.64B | $47,157 | $8,775 | $138 |
| Savings Plan for Employees of Ntca and Its Members | National Telecommunications Cooperative Association | VA | DC | 30,106 | $3.36B | $111,491 | $3,259 | $120 |
| AT&T Savings and Security Plan | AT&T Inc. | TX | DC | 27,558 | $2.26B | $82,162 | $914 | $73.88 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated Employee Savings and Retirement Plan | Qualcomm Incorporated | CA | DC | 23,062 | $9.66B | $418,671 | $5,541 | $33.69 |
| Frontier Communications Pension Plan | Frontier Communications Corporation | CT | DB | 22,881 | $2.50B | $109,438 | $37 | $497 |
| Dycom Industries, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan | Dycom Industries, Inc. | FL | DC | 20,650 | $468M | $22,646 | $714 | $24.47 |
| Frontier Communications Pension Plan | Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. | CT | DB | 20,329 | $2.38B | $116,829 | $15,028 | $344 |
| Brightspeed Pension Plan | Connect Holding II LLC d/b/a Brightspeed | NC | DB | 18,444 | $1.69B | $91,676 | — | $262 |
| Dish Network Corporation 401(k) Plan | Dish Network Corporation | CO | DC | 17,683 | $1.64B | $92,753 | $2,930 | $63.77 |
| Verizon Savings & Security Plan for New York and New England Associates | Verizon Communications Inc. | NJ | DC | 16,621 | $6.16B | $370,771 | $4,892 | $8.84 |
| Retirement&security Program for Employees of Ntca and Its Members | National Telecommunications Cooperative Association | VA | DB | 15,848 | $2.52B | $158,840 | $17,910 | $454 |
| Altice USA 401(k) Savings Plan | CSC Holdings, LLC | NY | DC | 15,218 | $1.86B | $122,293 | $3,026 | $150 |
| Bellsouth Savings and Security Plan | Bellsouth, LLC | TX | DC | 15,110 | $2.53B | $167,254 | $1,222 | $82.76 |
| Verizon Savings Security Plan for Mid-Atlantic Associates | Verizon Communications Inc. | NJ | DC | 15,009 | $3.73B | $248,257 | $4,580 | $52.53 |
| Ericsson US 401(k) Plan | Ericsson Inc. | TX | DC | 12,872 | $3.77B | $293,109 | $10,314 | $339 |
| Windstream 401(k) Plan | Windstream Services LLC | AR | DC | 12,119 | $1.29B | $106,422 | $2,742 | $49.78 |
| Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. Tax-Deferred Savings Plan | Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. | WI | DC | 12,108 | $1.59B | $131,242 | $5,241 | $150 |
| Iue-Cwa Pension Plan | Trustees of Iue- Cwa AFL-CIO Pension Fund | NY | DB | 11,832 | $472M | $39,897 | $4,325 | $191 |
| Communications Workers of America Savings and Retirement Trust | The Board of Trustees of the Communications Workers of America - | DC | DC | 11,628 | $453M | $38,941 | $983 | $28.24 |
| Communications Test Design, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Communications Test Design, Inc. | PA | DC | 10,421 | $409M | $39,240 | $1,609 | $62.37 |
| Directv Retirement Savings Plan | Directv Entertainment Holdings LLC | CA | DC | 8,330 | $597M | $71,697 | $6,829 | $71.11 |
| Puerto Rico Telephone Company Consolidated Retirement Plan for Salaried and Hourly Employees | Puerto Rico Telephone Company | PR | DB | 7,094 | $797M | $112,300 | $36,096 | $486 |
| Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. Pension Plan | Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. | WI | DC | 6,330 | $459M | $72,570 | $5,345 | $78.48 |
| Avaya Pension Plan | Avaya LLC | NJ | DB | 5,638 | $625M | $110,805 | $63,472 | — |
| Twilio 401(k) Plan | Twilio Inc. | CA | DC | 5,574 | $806M | $144,642 | $6,272 | $67.16 |
| Avaya Savings Plan for Salaried Employees | Avaya Inc. | NJ | DC | 4,951 | $1.41B | $284,480 | $4,459 | $117 |
| Windstream Pension Plan | Windstream Services, LLC | AR | DB | 4,448 | $433M | $97,258 | $54,922 | $407 |
| Brightspeed 401(k) Savings Plan | Connect Holding II, LLC | NC | DC | 4,339 | $351M | $81,002 | $2,709 | $99.27 |
| Iue-Cwa 401(k) Retirement Savings and Security Plan | Trustees of the Iue-Cwa AFL-CIO Pension Fund | PA | DC | 4,273 | $82.3M | $19,250 | $832 | $121 |
| Consolidated Communications, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Consolidated Communications, Inc. | TX | DC | 4,264 | $1.16B | $271,607 | $5,365 | $73.38 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers)?
373 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 523 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers)?
The median defined contribution plan reported $73,442 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $39,118 to $126,947); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers)?
The median defined contribution plan received $2,846 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in telecommunications (including paging, cellular, satellite, cable & other program distribution, resellers, other telecommunications, & internet service providers)?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $131 per participant and 0.21% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.