RIA African Mobile Pricing 2010-2015
Africa, 2010 - 2015
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Reference ID
zaf-ria-ramp-2010-2015-v1
Producer(s)
Research ICT Africa
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Metadata
Created on
Aug 12, 2015
Last modified
May 28, 2020
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Identification
Survey ID Number
zaf-ria-ramp-2010-2015-v1
Title
RIA African Mobile Pricing 2010-2015
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Africa | afr |
Study type
Price Survey [hh/prc]
Abstract
Research ICT Africa (RIA) is a non-profit, public interest, research entity which undertakes research on how information and communication technologies are being accessed and used in African countries. The aim is to measure the impact on lifestyles and livelihoods of people and households and to understand how informal businesses can prosper through the use of ICTs. This research can facilitate informed policy-making for improved access, use and application of ICT for social development and economic growth. RIA collects both supply-side and demand-side data. Supply-side data consists of retail prices of prepaid mobile calls and sms's, prepaid data and postpaid "bundles" for 47 African countries, for all operators.This is collected by RIA on a quarterly basis.
Kind of Data
Sample survey data
Unit of Analysis
The units of analysis in this dataset are prices
Version
Version Description
Version 1: Edited, anonymised data for public distribution
Version Date
2015
Scope
Notes
The dataset contains mobile phone supply-side data for selected African Countries. This includes data on prices for (i) mobile phone calls, SMS and MMS (ii) prepaid mobile broadband, and (iii) prepaid “top-up” data, and (iv) postpaid products
Prepaid pricing data includes:
· Prices of mobile prepaid in selected African countries (quarterly)
· Prices of mobile products from all operators in these countries
Prepaid mobile broadband data includes1GB prepaid once off price of mobile data in selected African countries (quarterly)
Prepaid pricing data includes:
· Prices of mobile prepaid in selected African countries (quarterly)
· Prices of mobile products from all operators in these countries
Prepaid mobile broadband data includes1GB prepaid once off price of mobile data in selected African countries (quarterly)
Coverage
Geographic Coverage
The data is at country level and covers the following 47 African countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
African countries not covered are Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Somalia, and South Sudan
NOTE: Country codes are from 1 to 61 (skipping15, 28-32, 35-36, 38, 40-42, 51, 58). These numbers are random codes assigned by the database software used in data collection, and the skips do not indicate missing countries.
African countries not covered are Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Somalia, and South Sudan
NOTE: Country codes are from 1 to 61 (skipping15, 28-32, 35-36, 38, 40-42, 51, 58). These numbers are random codes assigned by the database software used in data collection, and the skips do not indicate missing countries.
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name |
|---|
| Research ICT Africa |
Funding Agency/Sponsor
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| International Development Research Centre | IDRC | Funding agency |
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2015 |
Data Collection Mode
Other [oth]
Data Collection Notes
Prepaid Mobile Voice and SMS Pricing:
RIA use the OECD basket methodology <http://www.oecd.org/sti/broadband/price-baskets.htm> to examine the cost of making a set basket of calls over a monthly period in each country. Prices are converted to USD for ease of comparison. Mobile call baskets include a pre-determined number of calls, SMS messages each month. RIA makes use of the OECD 30 call basket which is weighted at a total of 50 calling minutes per month and 100 SMSs per month. Unlike the OECD, which only examines prices of dominant operators in each market, RIA collects data for all operators in the market.
Prepaid Mobile Broadband Data Pricing:
RIA collects prices of 1GB of prepaid data by country on a quarterly basis. Where there is no 1GB product, the cheapest combination of products worth 1GB is used. The prepaid data offer should be valid for at least 30 days. Modem prices are excluded. The benchmarking of prepaid mobile broadband data is combined with Ookla download and upload speed data by operator <http://www.speedtest.net/about.php> to produce a Mobile Broadband Value for Money Index.
Prepaid Mobile Bundle Pricing:
Information on blended bundles that include data and voice, or data and SMS, or data, voice and SMS, are collected quarterly by country. RIA adds the value of bundled minutes, SMS, and data and divides by the monthly payment to arrive at a prepaid “bundle” value for each country. These are used to create a Prepaid Bundle Value Index (BVI).
The bundle must have data and either voice and/or SMS. The cost in local currency (tax inclusive) and in USD is captured for each product. The value of bundled minutes is derived by multiplying the number of minutes with a fixed USD value. One minute is valued at 10 US cents, 1 SMS at 1 US cent, and 1 MB data at 10 US cents. A “bundled” product that costs USD3.82 with 180 minutes, 50 SMSs and 5MB will therefore have the following (BVI) score:
BVI=(180*0.1+50*0.01+5*0.1)/3.82=4.97
Unlimited call, SMS or data offers were made comparable to capped packages by applying the following rules:
· Unlimited minutes = 240 minutes per day (7200 minutes per month)
· Uncapped SMS = 240 SMSs a day (7200 per month)
· Uncapped data = the limit stipulated in the “”fair terms of use policy, or 30 GB, whichever is smaller
Post-paid Mobile Products Pricing:
Post-paid prices are collected quarterly for African countries which display a significant proportion of post-paid versus prepaid market share. The data captured includes
· Price of each post-paid package on the market
· The number of voice minutes, SMSs, and data (MB) per month
This information is used to create a Postpaid Value Index (PVI)
The PVI measures the value a customer gets for the monthly subscription price in terms of bundled minutes, SMSs and data. The value of bundled minutes is derived by multiplying the number of minutes with a fixed USD value. One minute is valued at 10 US cents, 1 SMS at 1 US cent, and 1 MB data at 10 US cents. Out of bundle rates and handsets inclusive packages are not accounted for in index construction. Unlimited calls, SMSs or data offers were made comparable to capped packages by applying the same rules used to create the Prepaid Bundle Value Index:
· Unlimited minutes = 240 minutes per day (7200 minutes per month)
· Uncapped SMS = 240 SMSs (7200 per month)
· Uncapped data = the limit stipulated in the “”fair terms of use policy, or 30 GB, whichever is smaller
RIA use the OECD basket methodology <http://www.oecd.org/sti/broadband/price-baskets.htm> to examine the cost of making a set basket of calls over a monthly period in each country. Prices are converted to USD for ease of comparison. Mobile call baskets include a pre-determined number of calls, SMS messages each month. RIA makes use of the OECD 30 call basket which is weighted at a total of 50 calling minutes per month and 100 SMSs per month. Unlike the OECD, which only examines prices of dominant operators in each market, RIA collects data for all operators in the market.
Prepaid Mobile Broadband Data Pricing:
RIA collects prices of 1GB of prepaid data by country on a quarterly basis. Where there is no 1GB product, the cheapest combination of products worth 1GB is used. The prepaid data offer should be valid for at least 30 days. Modem prices are excluded. The benchmarking of prepaid mobile broadband data is combined with Ookla download and upload speed data by operator <http://www.speedtest.net/about.php> to produce a Mobile Broadband Value for Money Index.
Prepaid Mobile Bundle Pricing:
Information on blended bundles that include data and voice, or data and SMS, or data, voice and SMS, are collected quarterly by country. RIA adds the value of bundled minutes, SMS, and data and divides by the monthly payment to arrive at a prepaid “bundle” value for each country. These are used to create a Prepaid Bundle Value Index (BVI).
The bundle must have data and either voice and/or SMS. The cost in local currency (tax inclusive) and in USD is captured for each product. The value of bundled minutes is derived by multiplying the number of minutes with a fixed USD value. One minute is valued at 10 US cents, 1 SMS at 1 US cent, and 1 MB data at 10 US cents. A “bundled” product that costs USD3.82 with 180 minutes, 50 SMSs and 5MB will therefore have the following (BVI) score:
BVI=(180*0.1+50*0.01+5*0.1)/3.82=4.97
Unlimited call, SMS or data offers were made comparable to capped packages by applying the following rules:
· Unlimited minutes = 240 minutes per day (7200 minutes per month)
· Uncapped SMS = 240 SMSs a day (7200 per month)
· Uncapped data = the limit stipulated in the “”fair terms of use policy, or 30 GB, whichever is smaller
Post-paid Mobile Products Pricing:
Post-paid prices are collected quarterly for African countries which display a significant proportion of post-paid versus prepaid market share. The data captured includes
· Price of each post-paid package on the market
· The number of voice minutes, SMSs, and data (MB) per month
This information is used to create a Postpaid Value Index (PVI)
The PVI measures the value a customer gets for the monthly subscription price in terms of bundled minutes, SMSs and data. The value of bundled minutes is derived by multiplying the number of minutes with a fixed USD value. One minute is valued at 10 US cents, 1 SMS at 1 US cent, and 1 MB data at 10 US cents. Out of bundle rates and handsets inclusive packages are not accounted for in index construction. Unlimited calls, SMSs or data offers were made comparable to capped packages by applying the same rules used to create the Prepaid Bundle Value Index:
· Unlimited minutes = 240 minutes per day (7200 minutes per month)
· Uncapped SMS = 240 SMSs (7200 per month)
· Uncapped data = the limit stipulated in the “”fair terms of use policy, or 30 GB, whichever is smaller
Access policy
Contacts
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| DataFirst Support | support@data1st.org | support.data1st.org |
Access conditions
Public use files, available to all
Citation requirements
Research ICT Africa. RIA African Mobile Pricing [dataset]. Version 1. Cape Town: RIA [producer], 2015. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/ezj3-kx42
Access authority
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataFirst | University of Cape Town | support@data1st.org | support.data1st.org |
Metadata production
Producers
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DataFirst | University of Cape Town | Metadata producer |
Date of Metadata Production
2020-05-23
DDI Document version
Version 4