Mobile Number Portability

Stefan Buehler and Justus Haucap

No 17/2003, Working Paper from Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg

Abstract: This paper examines the consequences of introducing mobile number portability (MNP). As MNP allows consumers to keep their telephone number when switching providers, it reduces consumers' switching costs. However, MNP may also cause consumer ignorance if telephone numbers no longer identify networks. As a result, while fostering competition for mobile customers, MNP may also induce operators to increase termination charges for calls to mobile networks, generating ambiguous welfare effects. We examine how extensions such as MNP based on call-forwarding, termination fee regulation, and alternative means of carrier identification affect these findings.

Keywords: number portability; switching costs; telecommunications; network competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L13 L51 L96 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 22 pages
Date: 2003-08
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Journal Article: Mobile Number Portability (2004)
Working Paper: Mobile Number Portability (2003)
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