The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences (한국통신학회논문지)

The Korean Institute of Commucations and Information Sciences (한국통신학회)
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Empirical Study on Unit Bias under the Flat Rate Pricing in the Korean Mobile Telecommunication Market

이동통신시장에서의 단위편향 소비행태 발생에 관한 실증연구

  • Lee, Sang-Woo (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Jeong, Seon-Hwa (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Lee, Hyeongjik (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute)
  • Received : 2015.11.16
  • Accepted : 2016.01.20
  • Published : 2016.02.29
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to empirically identify whether unit bias exists or not under the flat rate pricing in the Korean mobile telecommunication market and to give the desirable form of pricing plans for minimizing this irrational behaviors. Our results show that with the flat rate pricing consumers tends to make more voice or data traffic over their optimal consumption level, meaning the existence of unit bias in the Korean mobile market. These results imply that under the current pricing plans subscribers may pay higher monthly fee than their optimal cost which maximizes their utility, for using the telecommunications service. Thus, policy makers need to consider adopting mobile operators' segmentation of the flat rate pricing plans for the reduction of subscribers' telecommunications costs and the improvement of consumer welfare.

본 논문의 목적은 국내 이동통신시장에서 발생가능한 대표적인 인식편향(cognitive bias) 중 하나인 단위편향(unit bias) 현상의 발생 여부를 실증적으로 분석하고, 단위편향 발생을 최소화하기 위한 바람직한 요금제 개선방안을 제시하는 것이다. 분석 결과 이용자들은 정액요금제하에서 단위편향적 소비행태 발생에 따라 자신의 최적소비량보다 많은 통화량 혹은 데이터량을 사용함으로써 자신의 효용극대화를 위한 최적 통신비 지출보다 많은 통신비를 지출할 가능성이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 정액요금제의 요금구간을 보다 세분화함으로써 소비자들이 단위편향 발생에 따른 비합리적 소비를 최소화하고 자신의 효용함수에 따라 최적 소비량을 이용토록 마련하여 가계통신비 절감은 물론 소비자 후생을 극대화할 수 있도록 유도하는 것이 가능할 것으로 기대된다.

Keywords

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