How pricing dynamics affect mobile usage - Price sensitivity and talk time trends in developed and developing economies
Report details
How pricing dynamics affect mobile usage - Price sensitivity and talk time trends in developed and developing economies
How pricing dynamics affect mobile usage is now available for download:
Total global mobile voice minutes reached an estimated 1.6 trillion in 2010, a figure some ten times greater than the corresponding amount in 2001. This means that the actual usage of mobiles has grown almost twice as fast as the number of connections, which grew from around 950 million to 5.4 billion over the same nine year period. This is equivalent to an increase from three to five hours of call time per user per month across the world, and has come about as a result of a simultaneous drop in the effective price per minute (EPPM) of calls to a quarter of what it was nine years previously. Average prices in the developing world declined at more than twice the rate of those in the developed world over this period, meaning that the reported average minutes per user per month (MoU) is now broadly the same across the two regions.
Given this data we can model the sensitivity of demand for mobile usage in relation to price. Subsequently we have found that at the global level, every one US cent decrease in EPPM results in an average increase of 5.6 minutes calling time per month for every mobile user in the world. The equivalent MoU increases for the developed and developing world are 6.9 and 13.5 minutes respectively, meaning that on average mobile users in the developing world are almost twice as price sensitive as those in the developed world.
MoU versus EPPM (US$), selected markets, 2010
Source: GSMA Intelligence
Report details
How pricing dynamics affect mobile usage - Price sensitivity and talk time trends in developed and developing economies
Related research
MWC Barcelona 2026: AI and sovereignty battle for dominance in a post-5G world
Around 105,000 people from 207 countries attended MWC Barcelona 2026. The show attracted more than 2,900 exhibitors, including telecoms operators, vendors and firms from across the broader technology ecosystem. This report examines the key announcements and innovations that took centre stage, what came as a surprise and what it all means for telecoms and the wider TMT industry.
Global Mobile Trends 2026
Global Mobile Trends 2026 highlights the opportunities and innovations ahead, as well as the challenges facing the mobile industry and beyond. Covering topics including AI, 5G, autonomous networks, devices, security, quantum, satellites, energy innovation and eSIM, the report focuses on what matters in 2026 and the implications for the industry. The latest edition of Global Mobile Trends delivers expert insights into the key trends that will define the mobile ecosystem in 2026 and beyond. Backed by GSMA Intelligence’s industry-leading research and data, the report provides an authoritative look at the forces shaping the next wave of connectivity and innovation.
How the entitlement server is driving impact for mobile operators
Initially deployed for niche use cases, the entitlement server (ES) has expanded to become the intermediary between mobile network infrastructure and the universe of devices. It authenticates a number of services, including RCS messaging, eSIM, network slices and satellite connectivity. The investment logic for the ES is strengthened by clear cost savings and revenue opportunities post deployment. Operators should consider a strategy for monetisation and identity management based on ES deployment.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
MWC Barcelona 2026: AI and sovereignty battle for dominance in a post-5G world
Around 105,000 people from 207 countries attended MWC Barcelona 2026. The show attracted more than 2,900 exhibitors, including telecoms operators, vendors and firms from across the broader technology ecosystem. This report examines the key announcements and innovations that took centre stage, what came as a surprise and what it all means for telecoms and the wider TMT industry.
Global Mobile Trends 2026
Global Mobile Trends 2026 highlights the opportunities and innovations ahead, as well as the challenges facing the mobile industry and beyond. Covering topics including AI, 5G, autonomous networks, devices, security, quantum, satellites, energy innovation and eSIM, the report focuses on what matters in 2026 and the implications for the industry. The latest edition of Global Mobile Trends delivers expert insights into the key trends that will define the mobile ecosystem in 2026 and beyond. Backed by GSMA Intelligence’s industry-leading research and data, the report provides an authoritative look at the forces shaping the next wave of connectivity and innovation.
How the entitlement server is driving impact for mobile operators
Initially deployed for niche use cases, the entitlement server (ES) has expanded to become the intermediary between mobile network infrastructure and the universe of devices. It authenticates a number of services, including RCS messaging, eSIM, network slices and satellite connectivity. The investment logic for the ES is strengthened by clear cost savings and revenue opportunities post deployment. Operators should consider a strategy for monetisation and identity management based on ES deployment.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics