4G and 5G prices from 179 operators in 51 European, American, Asia Pacific, Middle East and African countries. Who are the operators with the highest and lowest monthly prices in the world?

Even after excluding the mobile telephony tax Greek prices – of smartphone plans with 1, 2 or 3 gigabytes – were the highest in EU. For 4 gigabytes Greek prices were the most expensive among 51 European, American, Asia Pacific, Middle East and African countries. Greek consumers pay 5 to 6 times more per month than French consumers to buy smartphone plans with, 1, 2, 3 or 4 gigabytes!

What are the factors that determine mobile prices? Market concentration (no. of MNOs) has a statistically significant effect on 4G&5G monthly and gigabyte prices. The higher the no. of MNOs the lower the price.

Elisa Finland had overall the most competitive 4G&5G connectivity monthly prices in 2H2020 among 168 mobile network operators present in 48 European, American, Asia Pacific and African countries.

The share of smartphone, mobile and wireless broadband plans with unlimited data volume continued to grow, gigabyte allowances of finite data volume plans continued to grow – but overall monthly and gigabyte prices continued to fall. Monthly prices of smartphone and wireless broadband plans with unlimited data volume fell in EU in 2H2020!

Mobile data prices in Latin American 4-MNO markets are competitive and broadly on par with European and other OECD 4-MNO market prices. Mobile data prices in Latin American 3-MNO markets are sub- or non-competitive (i.e. significantly higher than 4-MNO market prices)

Monthly prices of plans with unlimited data volume and as well gigabyte prices of plans with data caps continue to be significantly higher in the 3-MNO German versus the 4-MNO Italian, French, Spanish and UK markets.

The share of smartphone and mobile/wireless broadband plans with unlimited data volume continues to grow, gigabyte allowances of finite data volume plans continue to grow – but overall monthly prices continue to fall.

Rewheel research study commissioned by the Hellenic Competition Commission

... and why operators in other markets can’t easily replicate the Finnish model

Launching unlimited is a much bigger leap than a simple tariff update. The legacies of volume based mobile data monetization are deeply rooted in the structures and core believes across the MNO functions, so broad and deep strategic rethink is required.

In December 2019 Sunrise invited Rewheel to try its 5G based home broadband solution in Switzerland. Rewheel had previously provided consulting support for Sunrise in preparation for the 5G spectrum auction that was held in early 2019. After the modelling work and conceptual sessions, we were eager to go back to Switzerland to see how Sunrise’s engineers managed to turn theory into practice.

The introduction of 5G has supercharged the transition to a basically unlimited everything model. But despite all the more-for-more buzz gigabyte allowances continue to grow while monthly prices continue to fall.

When will EU28 & OECD operators run out of 4G capacity and how many more gigabytes per subscriber per month can they carry with 5G? A Rewheel research PRO-study of 143 European, US, Canadian, Japanese, Korean and Australian operators

What is wrong with competition in the Canadian, Japanese and US markets?

With special focus on US prices ahead of the planned 4 to 3 consolidation. How many 4G gigabytes €5, €10, €15, €20, €25, €30, €40, €50, €60, €70 and €80 could buy in EU and OECD markets on smartphone and data-only plans.

A study of 80 European, US, Japanese, Korean, Australian and New Zealand mobile operators. Topical for operators contemplating fixed-to-mobile broadband substitution ahead of upcoming 700, 1400 (SDL), 2300, 3400-3800 MHz spectrum auctions.

How many 4G gigabytes €5, €10, €15, €20, €25, €30, €40, €50, €60, €70 and €80 could buy in EU and OECD markets on smartphone and data-only plans. What a difference a 4th mobile network operator makes!

After a comeback in 2016 unlimited mobile data has spread further during 2017.

European winners and losers in 4.5G and 5G – study of 30 operators. Will mobile network CAPEX stay flat in the long run? Spectrum valuation implications.

5G capacity abundance, flat Capex = paradigm shit. Comments from Finnish Elisa's consumer business VP under the article "what makes these [volume-based] pricing ideas profoundly unsustainable".

The state of 4G pricing, mobile data usage, spectrum usage, network capacity utilization and fixed-to-mobile broadband substitution. After its comeback in 2016, in 2017 unlimited mobile data goes viral and spreads to 22 countries. And while in competitive markets such as France and Denmark consumers can buy 100 or unlimited gigabytes for less than €30, in tight mobile oligopoly markets such as Portugal, Greece and Hungary €30 hardly buys any gigabytes. Europe’s mobile data divide widens further: 200x more gigabytes for €30 in smartphone plans, 600x more gigabytes in mobile broadband plans, 200x difference in median gigabyte prices, 40x difference in mobile data usage per capita and spectrum usage.

In March 2017 Telefonica O2 Germany announced 3.5 GHz (they have 83 MHz) Massive MIMO (= very high capacity LTE macro sectors) field trials with Huawei for wireless home broadband and 4K video. Our models predict that O2's macro site grid and spectrum resources (FDD+TDD) could allow it to drive fixed-to-mobile broadband substitution in Germany by connecting millions of households with HD TV service on its high capacity LTE network.

When LTE base stations are upgraded to 'Gigabit' speed the gigabyte volume capacity of the networks also greatly expands. We modelled LTE network capacity based on existing FDD and TDD spectrum holdings (and potential acquisitions in 2.3 and 3.4-3.8 GHz bands) and sizes of the macro site grids. Without and with Massive MIMO in the TDD bands. Topical for operators contemplating fixed-to-mobile broadband substitution ahead of upcoming 700, 1500 (SDL), 2300, 3400-3600 MHz spectrum auctions.

Fixed-line broadband interest, zero-rating video and big telco ownership impedes competition in mobile markets

Full release report for Digital Fuel Monitor-PRO clients

Efficient use of radio spectrum resources: Elisa Finland is the world's most efficient operator in turning MHz-s into gigabytes. Elisa in Finland pumps 26 times as much gigabyte per MHz per population as Vodafone in Germany. Unlimited mobile data model spreading in Europe, increasing North-South tentions in the EU mobile data roam like at home debate.

A few mind-opening facts about the unconventional Finnish mobile data model. Linkedin post by Rewheel's senior partner.

In 2016 mobile data volume consumption per person in Finland is set to exceed fixed-line broadband volume consumption per person in Germany. Anecdotal evidence reported by WDR (German public media) indicated that younger users are frustrated by very restrictive smartphone plan volume caps.

Public release summary

Telenor’s Danish strategy is in tatters. Telenor’s 4 to 3 consolidation attempt was blocked by the European Commission while its ‘me too’ strategy has been a failure dragging down its profitability. Can Telenor turn the business around and return to profitability?

Comprehensive analysis of factors that give rise to unilateral anti-competitive effects leading to non-competitive outcomes and consumer harm in tight mobile oligopolies.

There are substantial empirical market evidences supporting the notion that close to half of EU’s mobile markets exhibit tight oligopoly non- or sub-competitive market outcomes.

Telekom Austria paid a high price for new spectrum in a fourth-generation telecoms auction that may pay off if it reduces a competitive threat from smaller rival Hutchison Whampoa's H3G. Rewheel quotes inside.

Up until late 2009 E-Plus had been following a low cost challenger strategy primarily targeting customers with no or very light mobile data needs. But late 2009, when it became apparent that fast mobile data is not a niche offering any longer but is becoming an essential need of the mass consumer base in Germany and in other developed telecoms markets, they swiftly declared a new, “voice+data” strategy.

New technology and falling equipment prices will sustain profit margins at mobile telecom operators even if data traffic over their networks grows twentyfold, a [Rewheel] study said.

Market saturation, eroding voice ARPU and climbing data capacity upgrade costs are threatening the sustainability of mobile operators’ historically high profitability. We show that by taking timely actions on both the retail and network cost fronts smart operators can sustain their profitability while redefining their business to serve the increasingly data centric life style of their customers.