Mobile Network Operators and Cooperation - IMP Group

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Abstract
Mobile network operators are currently faced with a number of challenges
at the market. The revenues from voice services have decreased
the last couple of years. Mobile broadband access services are being
adopted and the demand is increasing. The increasing traffic volumes
require investments in order to increase the network capacity.
This development leads to a large interest in network solutions that
can offer high capacity and low cost. Besides the use of more efficient
radio access technology mobile network operators use strategies
for network deployment and operation involving other market actors.
Operators share networks with competitors or out source network deployment
and operation to other companies, typically the supplier of
network equipment. In these examples the mobile operators cooperate
about the networks, the relations to end-users are the same as if the
operator would operate the network on its own.
However, in other areas other actors enter the market for mobile
services where mobile operators traditionally have been the dominant
player. Handset manufacturers and Internet companies offer value added
services and applications to the end-users. They also establish relations
with customers of the mobile operators.
Hence, mobile operators look into new technical solutions and services
in order to reduce costs and find new services and sources of revenues.
Many of the networking solutions and services require that the
operator cooperates with some other actor. In this PhD thesis cooperation
with competitors, customers and different types of partners are
considered. The partner can be a provider of a non-telecom service
like public transportation, financial institutes or third parties taking
intermediary roles.
The main research questions in the thesis revolves around why and
how mobile operators cooperate. The drivers for cooperation and the
way the cooperation is organized is analyzed for a number of cases.
Three types of services and markets are analyzed:
- Public mobile broadband access services
- Services and solutions for indoor wireless access
- Mobile payment, ticketing and contactless services
A number of technical solutions, business concepts and different
types of cooperation and business scenarios have been investigated. Two
overall research questions that are applicable for all cases of cooperation
are identified for the analysis.
- What are the main drivers for a specific type of cooperation?
- In what ways can the actors organize the cooperation?