Congress, the FCC, and the news media might care about handset exclusivity and whether or not you can get the iPhone from any carrier, but for the average consumer, price and available features are more important than specific phones when it comes to choosing a provider.

The third quarter of 2006 was the last solid quarter without any iPhone-related news, but despite the smartphone's popularity, a recent Nielsen survey of 25,000 mobile users found that the availability of specific phones was not among the top reasons for choosing a carrier.

Roger Entner, an analyst with Nielsen, compared customers responses from the Q306 survey with responses from the first quarter 2009. He found that price was the top factor three years ago, and retains that spot today.

But while network quality and reputation/recommendation held on to the top two and three spots in 2006, they lost out this year to the availability of a family plan and payment options.

"At first glance, the most striking difference between 2006 and more recent data is what changed and what did not," Entner wrote in a blog post. "Price remains the most important factor in choosing wireless service. Yet, even with the prominence of the iPhone, surprisingly the availability of a specific phone stayed flat as the seventh most important factor."

Handset importance did increase from 2.9 percent in 2006 to 6.4 percent in 2009, but that was not enough to increase its ranking. Instead, families want the option of cheap family plans as well as pre-paid or free in-network calling.

This news is good news for pre-paid providers like Tracfone, unlimited providers like Boost Mobile, Metro PCS and Leap, and providers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless, which have larger free calling circles, Entner said.

The biggest surprise? The dip in importance when it comes to network quality -- from number two to number five. "As a testament to the success of its advertising message, the number of consumers who perceive Verizon Wireless as having the best mobile network has shot up over the last two years and it leads its closest competitor now by an almost 2:1 margin," Entner wrote.

A complete run-down of the list after the jump.

Factors for Choosing a Wireless Carrier

Q3 2006

1 - Price
2 - Network quality
3 - Reputation/recommendation
4 - Previous experience with that operator
5 - Family plan
6 - Payment options
7 - Specific phone
8 - Customer service

1Q 2009

1 - Price
2 - Family plan
3 - Payment option
4 - Free in-network calling
5 - Network quality
6 - Reputation/recommendation
7 - Specific phone
8 - Previous experience with that operator