An Exploratory Study on the Applicability of MNP in Uzbekistan;A Conjoint Analysis

The mobile telecommunication sector is increasingly gathering way becoming a key area for the economic development in Uzbekistan. One way to promote competition among providers is the introduction of a number portability service. This paper estimates subscriber's willingness to pay (WTP) for the MNP service in the mobile communication market in Uzbekistan. Consumer valuation was estimated using a conjoint analysis. Since number portability had not been introduced at the time of the study, stated preference data from the conjoint survey was used. Results indicate that currently subscribers do not attach a lot of importance to the MNP service, while price and service quality are most valuable components. The results of this study provide important implication for mobile network operators and policy developers on potential MNP implementation.