Mobile Number Portability
Journal
Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade
ISSN
1566-1679
ISSN-Digital
1573-7012
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2004-09-01
Author(s)
Abstract
This paper examines the consequences of introducing mobile number portability (MNP). We show that if the sole effect of introducing MNP is the abolishment of switching costs, MNP unambiguously benefits mobile customers. However, if MNP also causes consumer ignorance, as telephone numbers no longer identify networks, mobile operators will increase termination charges, with ambiguous net effect on the surplus of mobile customers. We examine how extensions such as MNP based on call-forwarding, termination fee regulation, and alternative means of carrier identification affect these findings and discuss policy implications.
Language
English
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
No
Publisher
Springer
Publisher place
Dordrecht
Volume
4
Number
3
Start page
223
End page
238
Pages
16
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
10213