75% don't know the cost of a one-minute mobile call

Despite ubiquitous advertising by mobile operators engaged in a constant price war, three-quarters of pre-paid and post-paid subscribers do not know how much a one-minute call costs, according to the latest research by the Malta Communications Authority.

Go has firmly grasped half the mobile market, with Vodafone holding a 43.5 per cent share. Eight-month-old Melita Mobile currently commands a 3.9-per cent market share and MVNO Redtouch Fone 2.5 per cent.

The MCA's survey of "Consumer perceptions of mobile telephony services in Malta" was carried out by research agency Informa in June. Fifteen-minute interviews were held with 800 net respondents using cluster sampling techniques to represent the total population. The MCA said the survey aimed to ensure more factual analysis of the mobile sector which would lead to better regulatory decisions.

More than eight in ten people have a mobile subscription (up from 77.3 per cent two years ago) but the market is still dominated by pre-paid subscribers - 12.5 per cent are signed up on post-paid tariffs, the more lucrative side of the business.

Market share comparison by operators (excluding business users) shows that both Go's and Vodafone's market share has been eaten into by the recent arrival of Melita Mobile and Redtouch Fone. Go's share is down to 49.9 per cent from 52.9 per cent in 2007; two years ago Vodafone had a 46.7 per cent market share.

Just under 80 per cent of customers have been loyal to their service provider; 19.7 per cent of customers who switched operators did so in the last six months to June. The 'switchers' mainly cited cheaper rates and bundle offers.

Just under 92 per cent of users are satisfied with the quality of service, down slightly from just under 94 per cent in 2007. Over six in 10 spend up to €19.99 on mobile use on average a month. Five per cent spend over €50; 10 per cent don't know their average monthly spend. Still, eight in 10 people believe they have enough information on services and pricing schemes. Around half of the major operators' subscribers still view call rates as expensive. Over 47 per cent would make fewer calls using their mobile if the operator raised the cost of a minute's call by five to 10 per cent and would resort to text messaging or fixed line; 42 per cent would even switch operator.

Four in ten respondents said they often considered a text message to be a good substitute to a mobile call; over 28 per cent said a landline call was a good alternative.

Most people (79.8 per cent) have not made an international call from their mobile over the last two years - many because there was no need to. More than half of those who used their mobile overseas, made calls and sent text messages; 20 per cent used their phones to send text messages only and 13.6 per cent to make calls.

Travellers not using their mobile abroad often used foreign SIM cards instead, admitted to forgetting to take their handset with them, or accepted calls only; 27.3 per cent still felt roaming charges were too high and 18.2 per cent used a landline instead.

The new roaming rates in line with European Union directives came into force on July 1.