Assessing the impact of mobile consolidation on innovation and quality

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GSMA Intelligence is publishing new, original research that provides evidence of the positive impact of mobile consolidation on innovation and network quality by examining direct measures of consumer benefit.
The analysis shows that the 2012 merger in Austria accelerated Hutchison’s 4G population coverage by 20?–30% and delivered 4G download and upload speeds that are 7 Mbps and 3 Mbps higher than would have been expected without the merger. This resulted in Hutchison outperforming European operators in similar market positions. The merger also significantly increased the quality of all mobile networks, with 4G download and upload speeds increasing by more than 13 Mbps and 4 Mbps respectively. This suggests that the merger enhanced competition in network quality, with resulting benefits seen across the entire mobile market.
The results highlight the importance of dynamic efficiencies in mobile mergers and, in particular, how these efficiencies directly benefit consumers. The findings have potential implications for all competition policy dealing with market concentration, and for policymakers considering how different market structures in mobile markets can deliver sustainable competition and investments in the latest mobile technology.
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Assessing the impact of mobile consolidation on innovation and quality
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Report details
Assessing the impact of mobile consolidation on innovation and quality
Download the report
Complete the form to get instant access to this content. For easier access in the future, you can register for a free account here.
By submitting this form, you agree that your email address and related activity on the platform will be processed for the purpose of generating and providing the requested report. Your data will be shared with GSMA Intelligence for this purpose. For more information, please see the GSMA Intelligence Privacy Policy.
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