Key Mobile Pricing Trends To Watch Out

We are off and running for another year of rapid evolution in the mobile space, and I am hoping to find a great deal of disruption in cellular tariff prices.

Here are the 5 key mobile pricing tendencies I am expecting to perform out in the UK and other adult mobile markets throughout 2013.

1. Tariffs based on data ladders, not voice recorders

We've seen this trend emerge in the united kingdom during 2012, with Vodafone and Orange after O2's lead to offering unlimited text and voice allowances due to their flagship smartphone tariffs, then tiering these tariffs via data volume allowances - typically 1GB, 2GB and 3GB choices.

On the other hand, the great number of tiers for voice tariff adjustments will fall, until consumers are left with just two or three choices for voice allowance - state 300 minutes, 500 minutes or unlimited voice.

2. Withdrawal of boundless data tariffs

Three and T-Mobile and Orange are the only main operators nevertheless offering infinite data tariffs. Three have been really successful with their unlimited data"The One Strategy" tariff plans, which has allowed them to grow their UK market share considerably recently (as covered previously post Tariff Wars).

I'd argue that T-Mobile only offer you unlimited data tariffs because they feel threatened by Three, which Orange only do so to match with their sister EE company T-Mobile.

Vodafone and O2 firmly refuse to provide unlimited data tariffs, and no doubt wish market-leader-by-volume EE by using their Orange and T-Mobile sub brands would adopt the same stance. There's a demand for UK network operators to begin rebuilding working margin into tariffs via data tiers, but this procedure is hampered by the availability of infinite data tariffs in the UK market.

Three made subtle attempts early in 2012 to begin introducing traffic direction on their unlimited data tariffs, but this initiative was immediately shouted down by an angry client base who joined Three to a promise of truly unlimited data tariffs.

I expect pressure on Three's network out of excess data loads will get unbearable in 2013, requiring Three to maneuver away from or at least heavily traffic manage infinite data tariff choices.

3. Shared device data tariffs

If we believe that the data tariff ladders will stretch to bands like 1GB, 5GB and 10GB in 2013, what will be the incentive for customers to walk up the data tariff ladder provided that 1GB is typically more than enough information to get an average smartphone client?

The answer is allowing customers to use many devices on their data tariff.

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