Think before raising mobile phone rates, survey advises operators

Mobile phone companies would do well in thinking twice before hiking up their tariffs as a new survey shows that 60 per cent of subscribers are prepared to switch operator if rates are raised by a mere 1c to 2c a minute.

Carried out in March among a sample of 1,000 respondents, the survey by the Malta Communications Authority shows that 62 per cent of respondents believe mobile calls are expensive. It is ironic, however, that less than half of all mobile users are actually aware of how much their call costs per minute.

Nearly half of all respondents say they will use their landline phone more if prices are raised by five to 10 per cent.

A total of 77 per cent said they owned a personal mobile phone - 45 per cent are subscribed to Vodafone and 52 per cent with Go Mobile. The overwhelming majority - 95 per cent - operated the service through a pre-paid card and 57 per cent spend less than Lm5 a month.

Internet access through the mobile phone remains very low with just two per cent saying they used the service regularly.

Another MCA study, which probed broadcasting habits, found that nine per cent now own a flat screen/plasma TV and another five per cent a wide screen TV. Sixty seven per cent do not operate a TV via aerial and most of those that do are reluctant to switch to an alternative connection.

The majority - 66 per cent - are still hooked up to an analogue cable connection even if over half consider the service to be expensive or very expensive. Still, 61 per cent are satisfied or very satisfied with the service.

Sixty two per cent of those hooked up to the digital cable and another 43 per cent linked to satellite feel the service is expensive or very expensive. Three quarters of respondents do not hold a subscription for premium channels, though 16 per cent have access to the sports channel.