The Impact of Mobile Number Portability on Demand Price Elasticities in Sub-Saharan African Countries

IF 0.9 4区经济学 Q3 ECONOMICS

Review of Network Economics Pub Date : 2020-12-01 DOI:10.1515/rne-2020-0023

Onkokame Mothobi

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines the effect of mobile number portability (MNP) on own- and cross-price elasticities. We use quarterly data for 27 mobile operators in seven Sub-Saharan Africa countries between 2010Q4 and 2014Q4 to estimate a differentiated products demand model. We find that the implementation of MNP increases price elasticities of demand for mobile services. This increase in price elasticities may be a result of reduction in switching costs between operators. On average, the introduction of MNP increases own-price elasticities by 0.47 in absolute value. We compare the level of price elasticities before and after the implementation of MNP in Ghana and Kenya, which implemented this policy in the time period of our study. Our results suggest that in Ghana, MNP increased own-price elasticities by an average of 0.35 in absolute term from an average of −0.74. In Kenya, the introduction of MNP increased own-price elasticities by an average of 0.21 in absolute term from a lower average of −0.39. However, we find that the average own-price elasticities in Kenya and Ghana remained small even after the implementation of MNP relative to other countries without MNP in place.

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移动号码可携性对撒哈拉以南非洲国家需求价格弹性的影响

摘要本文研究了移动号码可携性(MNP)对自身价格弹性和交叉价格弹性的影响。我们使用了7个撒哈拉以南非洲国家的27家移动运营商在2010年第四季度和2014年第四季度之间的季度数据来估计差异化产品需求模型。我们发现，MNP的实施增加了移动服务需求的价格弹性。这种价格弹性的增加可能是运营商之间转换成本降低的结果。平均而言，MNP的引入使自身价格弹性的绝对值增加了0.47。我们比较了加纳和肯尼亚实施MNP前后的价格弹性水平，这两个国家在我们的研究期间实施了这项政策。我们的研究结果表明，在加纳，MNP将自身价格弹性的绝对值从平均- 0.74平均提高了0.35。在肯尼亚，MNP的引入使自身价格弹性的绝对值从较低的- 0.39平均提高了0.21。然而，我们发现，即使在实施了MNP之后，肯尼亚和加纳的平均自有价格弹性相对于其他没有MNP的国家仍然很小。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Review of Network Economics ECONOMICS-

CiteScore

0.90

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Review of Network Economics seeks to help policy makers, academics, and practitioners keep informed of new research and policy debate in network economics and related subjects that are relevant to the study of network industries. By publishing high quality research on topical issues relevant to network industries, it is hoped readers will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the economic issues involved and that this will improve the quality of decision making by private and public organisations, and debate among researchers. The articles can cover specific network industries, or may deal with general issues that have relevance to a number of different network industries, including topics in the economics of networks, regulation, competition law, or industrial organisation. Papers that provide insights into policy debates are especially welcome, as are up-to-date surveys, book reviews, and comments.