Customers Response to Mobile Number Portability with Special Reference to Vodafone Customers in Rajakkad Manesh S & Dr. Latha Bai VG NSS COLLEGE, RAJAKUMARI India INTRODUCTION Mobile number portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. MNP (Mobile number portability) is implemented in different ways across the globe. In India the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) implemented the MNP facility firstly in Haryana in vember 2010 and then extended to all parts of the country in January 2011. The facility is available for both pre paid and post paid customers across mobile operators with in the same telecom circle. Vodafone India, formerly Vodafone Essar and HutchisonEssar, is the third largest mobile network operator in India after Airtel. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra and which operates nationally. It has approximately 141519840 subscribers in India ie,21.54% of the total 657158013 Indian mobile phone subscribers. In terms of active subscriber base in Kerala Vodafone is the second largest player with a market share of 20.2%. Kerala is one of slowest growing market with high proportion of MNP requests. By April 2013, Kerala registered 3755047 Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests, which is one of the highest in India. This study is an attempt to understand the customers response towards MNP facility with special reference to Vodafone customers in Rajakkad. Rajakkad is one of the growing villages in Udumbanchola taluk of Idukki district OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. To know the awareness level of MNP facility among Vodafone subscribers 2. To examine the factors influencing the porting decision of mobile users 3. To analyze customers satisfaction after availing MNP facility METHODOLOGY Both primary and secondary data are used for the study. The primary data collected through questionnaire specially designed for this survey. And secondary data gathered from the relevant websites and Vodafone customer care centre, Rajakkad. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY In Kerala active wireless subscriber base is 84.4% resulting in 25889265 active mobile users. Vodafone is the second largest mobile operator in terms of active subscriber base and fastest growing wireless operator in Kerala. By April 2013, Kerala registered 3755,047 Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests which is one of the highest in India. Vodafone is one of the companies which benefitted from the MNP service. Statistics shows that customer base of Vodafone increased by way of Mobile Number Portability service. So this study highly relevant and will be useful to mobile operators as well as to mobile subscribers for making informed decision regarding porting from one operator to other. This study is helpful in understanding the awareness level of MNP facility among subscribers. Mobile Number Portability is a powerful tool in the hands of customers to bargain from their existing mobile operators for better quality in services and fare tariff for services. Under MNP, if the subscribers are not satisfied with the services of their service provider, they can change their service provider while retaining the existing phone number. But in India this facility has got poor response comparing to other countries because of very little pent up www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 17
demand for it when compared to other countries. So this study will reveal awareness level, opinion and use of MNP facility among Vodafone subscribers in Rajakkad. In this context, customers response towards MNP facility is important to study. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Time limit is the major limitation of the study Information provided by respondents may not be 100% accurate The advanced statistical tools are not used for analysis. TOPIC DETAILS This study assessed the attitude of mobile telephone subscribers to the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) in Rajakkad. It also identified the demographic variables that should be considered when targeting marketing or sensitization campaigns. A survey design was adopted in the form of a structured questionnaire which was used to collect data. Findings revealed that while most subscribers supported the implementation of MNP in Rajakkad, a significant proportion believed that tariffs would not drop. Furthermore, it was found that of the demographic variables, age had the strongest influence on subscriber attitudes and this was identified as a strategic focus for network operators and the regulatory authority. One of the advantages of the introduction of mobile telephony is the ease of access to communication services for both the rich and the poor. However, due to service quality and price issues, subscribers have been known to subscribe to two or more service providers leading to the success of dual-sim handsets. From the subscriber perspective, usually only one of the mobile telephone numbers can be recalled from memory and there is reluctance to switch to a new operator with better value because of the need to sensitize contacts of the new number. The cost of switching does not refer only to the amount paid to switch to another operator but includes the cost of changing numbers on business cards, notifying family members, repainting or reproducing signs due to changed numbers, and so on. From the operator point of view, having subscribers own more than one mobile telephone number by way of another SIM means an inability to track switching behaviour thus making it difficult to access the success of customer retention programmes with direct impact on the operators profitability and effectiveness. Although it is recognised that number portability (NP) means greater investment and more serious management of network quality and customer service, NP however, guarantees the telecom consumer the opportunity to make a conscious choice for quality. For these reasons, national communications regulating agencies have been seeking ways to unify mobile telephone operators into providing a platform for mobile number portability (MNP). MEANING Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows the Mobile service subscribers to retain their existing mobile number when they move from one Service Provider to another Service Provider with in a same licensed service area. In other words, the Mobile Service Subscriber can switch from one operator to other operator with in telecom circle while keeping the same mobile number. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is the ability of a mobile subscriber to retain his/her number when changing network operators within a country. Mobile Number portability is a key aspect of deregulation to ensure competition in the telecom industry. Four types of number portability (NP) can be identified - service provider number portability (SPNP), location number portability (LNP), service portability (SP) and mobile number portability (MNP). The possibility of changing the service provider while still using the same phone number is called SPNP and is also sometimes referred to as "operator portability". The ability to change the subscriber's fixed service location while keeping the same phone number is called LNP. Service Portability is the possibility of changing the subscribed services (for example, from the plain www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 18
old analogue telephone service to Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) services as well as allowing the subscribers to enjoy the subscribed services in the same way when they roam outside their home networks, as is supported by the cellular/wireless networks) while keeping the same phone number. Mobile number portability (MNP) is described as a feature that enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. In other words, MNP allows GSM subscribers the choice of migrating from the services of one operator to another without changing their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards. It is a regulatory imperative seeking to liberalize local telephony service competition. Where interoperation of LNP and MNP is supported, service portability between fixed and mobile service types is possible. SPNP has been the primary form of NP deployed due to its relevance in enabling healthy local service competition. In the United States and Canada, MNP is referred to as Wireless Number Portability (WNP). 1. Gender ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION Gender Male 20 Female 10 Gender male female Majority of the respondents are male. Out of 30 respondents 20 are male and 10 are female. www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 19
2. Mobile Phone connections Mobile connections.of People One 25 Two 5 Three Four More than 4 of connection one two three four more than 4 Out of 30 respondents 25 have only one connection. Only 5 has 2 connections 3. Preference of mobile operator mobile operator BSNL 9 Vodafone 12 Idea 4 Airtel 3 Reliance 2 www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 20
Users BSNL Vodafone Idea Airtel Reliance Major portion of respondents like Vodafone. People also like BSNL 4.Did you ported from another mobile phone operator Yes 16 14 of ported Yes More than 50% of customers are ported customers of Vodafone. www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 21
5.What is the reason to change your mobile operator? Better offer 4 Attractive VAS 3 Internet offers 5 Network Coverage 2 Improper operation of operators 2 Responses Better offer Attractive VAS Internet offers Network Coverage Improper operation of operators The factors lead to porting to Vodafone are better offers, Value Added Services and Internet offers. 6.What type of Mobile Phone service do you prefer Services Voice Call 8 SMS 6 GPRS 10 Value Added Services 6 www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 22
preference of Service Voice Call SMS GPRS Value Added Services Most subscribers prefer GPRS internet services of Vodafone. Second place is for voice call. Equal number of subscribers prefer SMS and VAS. 7.Are you able to enjoy better service, after porting your number? Yes 15 1 Response Yes Customers are able to enjoy better services after porting their number. www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 23
8.Do you get special privileges as a ported customer? Yes 15 1 Response Yes Respondents are of the opinion that ported customers get special privileges. 9.Are you satisfied with MNP facility? Yes 14 2 Response Yes Majority of ported customers are satisfied with MNP facility. www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 24
10.Why do you prefer Vodafone India? Fair tariff rates 8 Internet offers 13 Network coverage 5 Nearest customer service 4 Response Fair tariff rates Internet offers Network coverage Nearest customer service The major factor behind choosing Vodafone is Internet offers. Only 8 are influenced by tariff rates. FINDINGS 1. Awareness levelof Mobile NumberPortability is comparatively high. 2. Internet offers, call charges, SMS offers, netwok coverage of mobile operator influence the porting decision of customers. 3. Customers who used MNP facility are satisfied with service. 4. Vodafone increased its customer base using MNP facility. 5. About 67% of the customers think that MNP facility is essential. 6. The articles in the business dailies shows that, the success of MNP completely depends on the consumer awareness. 7. It increases competition by allowing costomer to switch the operator. 8. It provides a fair chance to all service provider. Player with better quality and innovative products can sustain in long run,. 9. Service providers will improve the quality of service and Product innovation to retain the customer base. SUGGESTIONS The findings show that the age group of subscribers is a determining factor in mobile phone consumption and the network operators should be mindful of this in their marketing strategies and drive for market dominance when eventually NP is implemented. Rather than focus majorly on the younger consumers, the operators ought to create offerings specifically targeting the older consumers www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 25
in order to cause them to switch. Furthermore, the network operators would be able to utilise the findings on the effect of demographics on consumer perceptions for formulating their strategies to gain favourable switching habits from customers. CONCLUSION This study provides an insight into the attitude of consumers to the implementation of NP. The results have shed light on the demographic profile of the mobile subscriber in Rajakkad and how this influences perception of the NP project. To this extent, the study is limited as it did not explore and empirically determine the knowledge of NP of the respondents. Another limitation is that the study did not capture the respondents intention to switch as a result of NP availability. The study was carried out in Rajakkad. The findings of research may not be fully applicable and generalized to other regions. Further studies can be done on large sample size. REFERENCE 1.WWW.vodafone.in 2.www.trai.gov.in 3.www.wikipedia.org 4.www.cisjournal.org www.theinternationaljournal.org > RJCBS: Volume: 03, Number: 11, September-2014 Page 26