Research On Mobile Consumer's Willingness To Number Portability Based On Switching Cost

In the context of the global telecommunications liberalization andderegulation, more and more countries are adopting the policy of mobilenumber portability as a communication control measures, in order to promoteeffective competition in the communications market. In November2010,Hainan and Tianjin provinces of China officially launched the pilot of theMNP.MNP implementation would be effective in reducing customer switchingcosts, thereby breaking the locking effect of the customers, the customers'willingness of switch to other telecom op erator will also change. Foroperators, they will face the new challenges for the original balance betweenoperator and customers, if operators do not take the further right strategy toretain customers, it will result in the loss of customers, the decline in profits.For regulators, the success of the number portability policy goals based on thepositive face and scientific response of the major operators. Thus, developingthe scientific operating strategy is the common aspirations of the operatorsand regulators. And scientific operating strategy is derived from the in-depthanalysis and accurate judgment for customers' willingness of the MNP.This article is based on the above background of reality, selects mobilecommunications customers' willingness of MNP as study entry point, takesthe switching costs which is the biggest changes to MNP process as amediating variable, makes empirical analysis and study of the factors thataffect the MNP will, explores the specific mechanism of action how thesefactors affect customers' willingness of MNP convert the switching cost. Andtakes the further discussion at the willingness of MNP between differentcharacteristics of customers and different operators' customers, takes clusteranalysis of mobile communications customers.Study has shown a significant negative effect that the proceduralswitching costs, financial switching costs and the relational switching costs tocustomers' willingness of MNP. Factors such as customer investment,incentives, product quality, quality of service, the influence of enterprise affect customers' willingness of MNP by the procedural switching costs.Factors such as quality of service, customer investment, expenses affectcustomers' willingness of MNP by the relational switching costs. In addition,parts of the customers' individual statistical characteristics significantly affectcustomers' willingness of MNP; the key influencing factors are differentbetween customers of different operators. Customers are clustered into fivetypes that include procedural, non-economic, economical, stable, activecustomers according to the dimensions characteristics of switching cost;Customers are clustered into four types that include input type, latent, silenttype, interaction type customers according to the characteristics in associatedimpact factors of customers' willingness of MNP.The study provides a theoretical basis for operators to develop thescientific operating strategy and promote effective competition of the mobilecommunications market.