‘Contrasting Preferences of Major Carriers and MVNO Users
Consumer Insight Survey on Telecom Service Usage
Major Carriers: ‘Easy and Convenient’ vs MVNO: ‘Investing Time and Effort’
Value of Non-communication Services: 24% for Major Carriers, 8% for MVNOs
A survey has revealed that users of major telecom companies (MNO) and mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) have distinctly different preferences. Differences were noted from the way they select plans to their perception of service value.
Consumer Insight, a firm specializing in mobile communication surveys, released the results of a consumer telecom service usage survey on the 18th. This survey targeted 33,242 mobile phone users aged 14 and over.
Users of major carriers and MVNOs differed from the start, with how they chose service plans. Major carrier users preferred selecting prices ‘as easily and conveniently as possible’ (53%), whereas MVNO users preferred ‘choosing themselves by investing time and effort’ (66%). Major carrier users prioritize convenience, while MVNO users focus on value for money.
Clear differences were also observed in attitudes towards using a specific carrier. 80% of major carrier users would agree to being ‘tied’ to a particular carrier for bundled benefits, but only 38% of MVNO users agreed. In fact, 62% of MVNO users said they don’t want to be ‘tied’ to a particular carrier even with bundled benefits.
Perceptions of the value of telecom services relative to costs also varied. In particular, there were differences in the appreciation of ‘non-communication services’ like membership benefits, additional data, and online video service subscriptions. Major carrier users valued non-communication services as 24% of the total bill, whereas MVNO users perceived it as only about 8%. MVNO users seem to prefer utilizing basic communication services at reasonable prices over additional services.
Consumer Insight commented, “Major carrier users tend to stay with one carrier to maximize benefits, while MVNO users prefer selecting the optimal plan based on need. They operate in the same industry, and users can move between networks, yet they function similarly to full-service carriers (FSC) and low-cost carriers (LCC) with distinct characteristics.”