Wireless Local Number Portability: New Rules Will Have Broad Effects

After a delay of over seven years, wireless local number portability rules ( WLNP ) finally went into effect on November 24, 2003. These rules, promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission, allow wireless subscribers to change service providers within a given location while retaining the same phone number. The rules also allow consumers to transfer a land-based telephone number to a cellular provider. These new choices will likely have a significant impact on the wireless industry and increase competition in an already intense playing field. This iBrief provides a summary of the new rules, looks at the history and litigation, and predicts how increasing wireless options will benefit consumers and promote competition in local telephony

Smartone Telecommunications Holdings Limited: a case study.

by Tung Yee Shing.Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 53).ABSTRACT --- p.iiTABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iiiLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.vLISTOF TABLES --- p.viChapter CHAPTER I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1Chapter CHAPTER II --- OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE --- p.2Chapter CHAPTER III --- SMARTONE TELECOMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS LIMITED --- p.4History --- p.4Benefits from the Initial Public Offering --- p.5The Three Brands --- p.5The Three Focuses --- p.6Diversification --- p.9Recent Performance --- p.10Chapter CHAPTER IV --- THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES --- p.12Government Regulations --- p.12Technology --- p.14Economic Factors --- p.15Social Factors --- p.18Chapter CHAPTER V --- THE INDIVIDUAL DEPTH INTERVIEWS --- p.19Interviewees' Profile --- p.19Perception on Network Quality --- p.20Usefulness of Mobile Phone --- p.21Usefulness of Value-added Services --- p.22Handset Selection --- p.23Introduction of the Personal Communications System (PCS) --- p.24Effect of Mobile Number Portability --- p.25The Student Segment --- p.26Chapter CHAPTER VI --- THE SURVEY --- p.28Sampling Frame --- p.28The Final Sample --- p.28Research Findings --- p.29Current Usage --- p.29Attitude --- p.31Information Sources --- p.33Chapter CHAPTER VII --- THE DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS --- p.34Chapter CHAPTER VIII --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.37The Environment --- p.37The customers --- p.37Need Recognition --- p.38Information Search --- p.39Evaluation of Alternatives --- p.39Purchase Decision --- p.40Postpur chase Behavior --- p.40SmarTone's Strategies --- p.41Corporate Level Strategy --- p.41Recommendations --- p.44APPENDIX --- p.48BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.5

A study on the impact of mobile telecommunication on the welfare of sub saharan african countries

Africa: A continent is waking up. Not through aid or wealth from the exploitation of natural resources, but through a technological revolution. The access to affordable mobile telecommunication. Inspired by deregulation and pioneered by local champions who have taken a lead in what is today's fastest growing mobile market in the world. There is money to be made in these markets, attracting more and more operators from the northern hemisphere. However positive the short term impact of this revolution may be, governments should try hard to assure a market of continued competition among network operators, as this competition is the source of a self propelled creation of welfare and new opportunities, motivated from within Africa. Chapter 1 of this thesis highlights the positive impact of mobile telecommunication on the social and economic life in Sub Saharan Africa. Chapter 2 builds on the static as well as the dynamic version of the Network Pricing Game, a model developed by Dr. Carolyn Gideon, to stress the immanent threat of network markets turning into a monopoly. This theses ends in Chapter 3 with an brief outlook on further drivers of economic growth and opportunities awaiting Sub Saharan Africa in the coming decade

Mobile Number Portability in Ghana: Its Effect on Subscribers

Telecommunication services have been recognized the world-over as an important tool for socio-economic development for a nation (Sutherland, 2007). It is one of the prime support services needed for rapid growth and modernization of various sectors of the world economy. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of the introduction of MNP in Ghana on subscribers. It highlights the concept of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and its application in Ghana. However, from a consumer viewpoint, we summarize the benefits of the Mobile Number Portability system with five major themes. Firstly, the subscribers benefit from the advantages of all possible choices that resulted from the more competitive environment in the sector, it provides benefits like lower prices, higher quality and the wider range of services (Shin, 2005). Again, customers who change the operator following MNP benefit by crossing to the operator which provides the appropriate service for the expectations of them. Further, the calling subscribers don’t have to suffer to find the new numbers of her/his friends, when it is needed to communicate with them. The reality of retransferring of property rights is important, especially for special numbers (Buehler et al., 2005).To achieve the objective of this study logistic linear regression model was used to estimate the impact of Customer service, service problems, usage costs and income on switching preference of network subscribers. The regression results indicate that income of the respondents, high service problems, average service problems, the high usage cost and average usage cost are very important in determining customer intention to switch. Network operators have consequently reduced their tariff rate. Keywords: Mobile Subscribers, Experience, Mobile Number Portability (MNP), Ghan

Mobile Number Portability: On the Switching Trends among Subscribers within the Telecommunication Industry in a Ghanaian City

The proliferation of mobile telecommunication service providers in the country has prompted concerns about service quality within the industry. Mobile Number Portability was introduced by the National Communications Authority (NCA) as part of a broader campaign aimed at ensuring uninhibited switch from one telecom service provider to another. With a combination of both qualitative and quantitative investigative techniques, an initial attempt is made by this paper to produce results achieved through a representative sample of 200 respondents of different network customers to determine the pattern of switch from one service provider to another. Findings suggest the instrumentality of income, service difficulties, and customer service as well as usage costs as being the overriding consideration of porting intentions among subscribers

Factors Leading to Brand Switching in Cellular Phones: A Case of Pakistan

The purpose of this study is to analyze those factors which influence brand switching in cellular phones in Karachi city. Now Pakistan has emerged as the fastest growing market in the world. Mobile phones are now becoming the necessity of life. Day-by-day competition is now becoming more complex among the well-known mobile phone companies. This study focuses on the dependent variable and independent variables as well. The dependent variable is brand switching while independent variables are BRAND IMAGE, PRODUCT PRICING AND PRODUCT FEATURES (camera resolution, RAM/ROM, touch screen and android version etc.). Consumer’s attitude and behavior towards any mobile brand and its feature is also examined through the questionnaires. The study reveals that by providing advanced features, reasonable pricing strategies and best brand image to customers, the mobile companies can control over brand switching and can retain their customers also. Keywords: Brand switching, cellular phones, technological impact, price, brand name, brand image.

A study about E-WOM on an economic crisis context: The case of telecommunications

The study analyses the characteristics and effects of electronic Word-Of-Mouth (e-WOM) within online forums and social networks on Portuguese telecommunication consumers, considering Portugal is one of the European countries most affected by the economic crisis. The examination is focused on the present four major telecommunication operators running in the country – Portugal Telecom, ZON OPTIMUS, Vodafone and Cabovisão – but it also addresses emerging low cost operators, as Lycamobile. Through an exploratory methodology (Netnography), the obtained results demonstrate that these platforms have the potential to highly influence consumers’ decision making process and consumers’ attitudes towards brands; as well as that discussions on “price” and negotiations are avid and increasing on Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) communication. However “quality”, “innovation” or “customer service” also demonstrate to be important for the observed consumers. Additionally, the absence of binding periods on telecommunication services appears not to be enough reason for the observed consumers to switch operators if those services are inferior to the ones with restraining periods of time, especially on home telecommunication services. The study also compares the ways by which telecommunication brands communicate on Facebook and exposes that MEO is, by far, leader on online Business-to-Consumer (B2C) communication because it effectively engages with its audience; as its strategy focuses on sharing content which is diversified and relevant for its followers, as well as demonstrating to care about feedback and adopting a sympathetic tone of voice. In the end, the study presents suggestions for telecommunication operators to enhance consumers’ satisfaction and increase their brand equity.O presente estudo analisa as características e efeitos do Word-Of-Mouth eletrónico (e-WOM) em fóruns online e redes sociais entre consumidores de telecomunicações Portugueses, considerando que Portugal é um dos países europeus mais afetados pela crise económica. A análise é focada nos atuais quatro maiores operadores de telecomunicações a atuar no país – Portugal Telecom, ZON OPTIMUS, Vodafone e Cabovisão – mas também aborda operadores low cost emergentes, como a Lycamobile. Servindo-se de uma metodologia exploratória (Netnografia), os resultados obtidos demonstram que estas plataformas têm potencial para altamente influenciar o processo de decisão dos consumidores e as suas atitudes perante as marcas; assim como as discussões sobre “preço” e negociações são ávidas e crescentes na comunicação entre consumidores (C2C). No entanto, “qualidade”, “inovação” ou “atendimento ao cliente” também demonstram ser importantes para estes consumidores. Adicionalmente, a liberdade na fidelização em serviços de telecomunicações não aparenta ser motivo suficiente para estes consumidores mudarem de operador, no caso de os serviços serem inferiores àqueles com fidelização. O estudo compara ainda as formas como as marcas de telecomunicações comunicam no Facebook, expondo que o MEO é, de longe, o líder online na comunicação entre empresa e consumidor (B2C), dado que se envolve eficazmente com a sua audiência; passando a sua estratégia por partilhar conteúdos diversificados e relevantes para os seus seguidores, e demonstrando apreciar o feedback enquanto adota um tom de voz simpático. No final, o estudo apresenta sugestões para que os operadores possam melhorar a satisfação dos seus consumidores e aumentar o seu brand equity

The diffusion of IP telephony and vendors' commercialisation strategies

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in the Journal of Information Technology. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available at the link below.The Internet telephony (IP telephony) has been presented as a technology that can replace existing fixed-line services and disrupt the telecommunications industry by offering new low-priced services. This study investigates the diffusion of IP telephony in Denmark by focusing on vendors’ commercialisation strategies. The theory of disruptive innovation is introduced to investigate vendors’ perceptions about IP telephony and explore their strategies that affect the diffusion process in the residential market. The analysis is based on interview data collected from the key market players. The study's findings suggest that IP telephony is treated as a sustaining innovation that goes beyond the typical voice transmission and enables provision of advanced services such as video telephony