网间结算成本对移动通信市场竞争的影响

The effect of interconnection costs on the competition of wireless telecommunication industry

一般分析认为,降低转网成本会加剧移动通信各企业间的价格竞争,促进新生移动通信企业的发展.因此世界各国的信息产业当局都致力于降低移动通信网络间的转网成本,以试图打破垄断,携号转网是很多地区和国家普遍采用的降低转网成本的措施.但分析发现,当不同移动通信网络之间存在网间结算成本时,降低转网成本反而会加速市场集中.当前,我国移动电话的携号转网政策也列入了议事日程.

We study how a reduction of consumer switching costs may affect market competition in the wireless telecommunication industry. With positive interconnection costs, the networks charge lower usage fees for the calls within the same networks than for calls between the networks. Such network-based price discounts provide the large network with a competitive advantage because its subscribers are more likely to enjoy price discounts than the subscribers to a small network.