Mobile Tariffs Research Articles

STUDY OF TARIFFS FOR TRANSPORT SERVICES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The article analyzes the experience of tariff regulation of the cost of passenger railway transportation services in the European Union and the Russian Federation. The features of tariff regulation are disclosed and eleven countries are classified according to the main categories.
 Tariff policy for transport services is used to ensure the consistency of economic interests of consumers and is a problematic segment for all types of transport. The article deals with tariff regulation of the cost of services provided by the railway infrastructure. Comparison of domestic and foreign experience in pricing of transport services for further development of Russian Railways is carried out. The setting of tariffs and available discounts, as well as benefits for the purchase of tickets for trains in the countries of the European Union and Russia are considered. The indexation of tariffs for transportation services of Russian Railways depending on the period of the trip and the comfort of the car is analyzed.
 Conclusions on the impact of mobile tariffs on economic efficiency, as well as the need to improve the tariff policy in the Russian Federation by involving foreign transport companies in implementation.

EXAMINATION OF MOBILE COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS IN LATVIA

The development of telecommunications plays an essential role in the economy, as it affects the opportunities for communication between economic actors at both the national and global levels. Today mobile communication companies, which provide quality communication and information retrieval opportunities through the variety of their services, technological features and tariff plans, are important telecommunication providers. The aim of the present research is to examine the leading mobile communication service providers in Latvia by employing the theoretical findings of communication technology and telecommunications.The research used the following methods: monographic, induction and deduction, graphic, comparison, as well as competitiveness assessment based on the competitiveness index.The research described the theoretical aspects of telecommunications, examined the leading mobile communication service providers in Latvia, their most important financial performance indicators, services and tariff plans offered as well as assessed their competitiveness.Examining the mobile tariff plans and the services included therein, it was found that they were quite similar. However, an examination of each offer in more detail revealed that there were many nuances that were important to the client and that should be paid attention to.After assessing the competitiveness of the leading mobile communication providers, it was concluded that Latvijas Mobilas Telefons scored the highest number of points, Bite Latvija was in second place and Tele 2 took third place. An assessment of the key factors of competitiveness for the providers revealed that the company Latvijas Mobilais Telefons needed to improve the positions where its competitors had higher ratings: its discount system, the prices of services and the supply of services.

Ex-post Analysis of Mobile Telecom Mergers: The Case of Austria and The Netherlands

Recently there has been an increased attention towards the ex-post evaluation of competition policy enforcement decisions and in particular merger decisions. In this paper we study the effects of two mobile telecommunication mergers on prices. We apply a standard difference-in-differences approach which is widely used in the literature on ex-post evaluation of mergers. For the Austrian T-Mobile/tele.ring merger, we conclude that after the acquisition (for which remedies were imposed) prices in Austria did not increase relative to the considered control countries. For the Dutch T-Mobile/Orange merger, we observe an increase in the mobile tariff prices in the Netherlands in the analysed period, relative to the control countries. We cannot firmly establish whether this price increase was exclusively caused by the T-Mobile/Orange merger or in part by possible price effects brought about by the KPN/Telfort merger consummated two years earlier in the Netherlands. However, we believe that such price increase could be linked to the structural changes brought by both KPN/Telfort and T-Mobile/Orange mergers together.

The Study on Divide about Data Traffic use between Mobile User Groups

Mobile data traffic has been rising rapidly caused by spreads and development of smart devices As a result, it brought a lot of changes throughout our life and usage pattern for mobile users, as well as mobile technology advance and market alternation after data bandwidth growth and decline of mobile rate for data. Recently, the “Unlimited mobile tariff” has been released due to the severe competition between domestic mobile carriers, thus, the user of unlimited mobile tariff system increases while users have mobile tariff cost relief. Also, the various devices are connected to each other everywhere in our life, not only past mobile phone and tablet. It is overly connected in one IoT era, then users of its services increases sharply, so that the data traffic of IoT devices are regarded as significant element to find out next mobile data traffic usage and pattern study. The Goal of this study is to analyze the traffic of Korean mobile and wired line internet statistics by user group upon the network development and mobile tariff progress. And it is required to find out IoT devices market state and influence for mobile market based on empirical data and statistics in Korea.

Are Consumers Myopic? Evidence from Hansdet and Mobile Services Choices

This paper estimates a discrete choice model for combination of mobile tariffs and handsets using a cross section of 11,000 new customers from a European telecommunications carrier. It mainly focuses on the valuation of tariff price, handset subsidy and price of the handset. On the one hand, a significant evolution is observed over time. Indeed, important changes on the supply side are observed, mainly in the mobile service market but also in the retailing market. On the other hand, age of consumers also influences in a wide extent consumers valuation of services and handset. Accounting for this heterogeneity, the model enables to estimate a measure for myopia occurring when consumers are trading-off price of the tariff and upfront cost of the handset. If evidence of myopia is shown for the whole time period considered (Q4 of 2011-Q4 of 2014), its magnitude tends to decrease significantly since the end of 2012. This effect is mainly due to the take-off of sim-only contracts, emergence of cheaper handsets and improved quality of information provided to consumers.

Model of Customer Buying Behavior in the CZ Mobile Telecommunication Market

The Czech mobile telecommunication market constitutes an oligopoly of three operators, who have built a privileged position and effectively crush any competition. The entry of a new operator has been considered by the government since the end of 2009. The new mobile operator should push down the prices of services, which are the highest in Europe and also affect the development of new mobile services. This paper analyzes consumer behavior in the mobile telecommunication market. It reveals how different elements are considered by customers and what is important when choosing a mobile tariff. With use conjoint analysis, we obtained empirical arguments about the preferences of customersin the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that the relatively high price of services greatly reduces the unsaturated demand in the mobile telecommunication market, and proves that the price is crucial in customer decision-making.

Measuring prices in the electronic communications market: some thoughts about non-linear tariffs for mobile phone calls

In this paper we show how two apparently similar ways to report mobile call prices: the average expenditure per minute and the average revenue per minute can differ in a striking way. The non-linearities of mobile tariffs, especially the widespread use of two part tariffs which consist of a minimum expenditure and call connection fees, underlie the difference between the two types of price proxies. Whilst average revenue per minute informs about operators yields, average expenditure per minute is an indicator of the effectiveness of price discrimination.

Seesaw in the air: Interconnection regulation and the structure of mobile tariffs

Interconnection rates are a key variable in telecommunications markets. Every call that is placed must be terminated by the network of the receiving party, thus the termination end has the characteristic of an economic bottleneck and is subject to regulation in many countries. This paper examines the impact of regulatory intervention to cut termination rates of calls to mobile phones. We argue that regulatory cuts should have a differential impact according to the type of tariff the mobile customer subscribes to. While all mobile customers may pay higher prices because of a “waterbed” effect, termination rates also affect competition among mobile operators. We show that the waterbed effect is diluted, but not eliminated, for customers with pre-paid cards, where regulation also acts as impediment to “raise-each-other’s-cost” collusive strategies that mobile networks can adopt. The waterbed effect is instead strongest for consumers with post-paid subscription contracts.

The Mobile Phone Market in Bangladesh: Competition Matters

This article examines the role of regulation, competition and market structure on the success of mobile phone sector liberalization. The findings of the study suggest that deregulation of the telecommunications sector has generated competition and changed the market structure which has had a significant influence on mobile phone service pricing. However, limited liberalization, a concentrated market and a weak regulatory regime during 1997—2004 allowed mobile phone firms to keep mobile tariffs high. Since 2005, full liberalization of the mobile phone sector including the launching of a mobile phone service by a state-owned mobile firm and a strong rival as well as the emergence of an effective regulator brought stiff competition in the sector.

Seesaw in the Air: Interconnection Regulation and the Structure of Mobile Tariffs

Interconnection rates are a key variable in telecommunications markets. Every call that is placed must be terminated by the network of the receiving party, thus the termination end has the characteristic of an economic bottleneck and is subject to regulation in many countries. This paper examines the impact of regulatory intervention to cut termination rates of calls to mobile phones. We argue that regulatory cuts should have a differential impact according to the type of tariff the mobile customer subscribes to. While all mobile customers may suffer because of a “waterbed” effect, termination rates also affect competition among mobile operators. We show that the waterbed effect is diluted, but not eliminated, for customers with pre-paid cards, where regulation also acts as impediment to “raise-each-other’s-cost” collusive strategies that mobile networks can adopt. The waterbed effect is instead strongest for consumers with post-paid subscription contracts.

Mobile Communications of the Needy/Poor: Comparative European Macro-Data on Mobile Communications for the Needy/Poor, 'Social Mobile Tariffs', and the 'Mobile Communications Divide'

Some COST 605 Action participating countries have contributed to a survey on the above subject. The focus is on: 1) social parameters , demographics / employment:/income of needy/poor people, and for measured or assumed mobile service usage and spending 2) cases of individual or groups of needy people’s as to mobile communications usage and spending (from individuals or secondary contacts ) A survey and analysis was carried out on mobile communications of the poor and needy, with data collected so far across 5 EU countries (France, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Denmark); please note that definitions are not always identical and that collection methods and sources may be inconsistent ; note also that in general the data are from many different sources thus not always with same year or basis . Some data were collected on the basis of field surveys and are not found in other sources. Monetary unit is Euros for calibration purposes (except UK). The goal of the survey is to establish the basis for the establishment of wireless tariff bundles made affordable to the needy and subsidized or not by operators and/or regulators (using revenue from universal service obligation laws, where applicable). Another goal is to help European regulator and the Commission prepare for directives with the same goal across the EU. As the ubiquity of wireless communications has a high social value and impact, this study is justified beyond general analyses of universal access to broadband services.