世論 What Japan Thinks

With the recent news about DoCoMo and au by KDDI cutting monthly costs but increasing handset prices, japan.internet.com reported on a timely survey conducted by Cross Marketing Inc into mobile phone pricing.

Demographics

Over the 3rd and 4th of October 2007 330 mobile phone using members of Cross Marketing’s online monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was split 50:50 male and female, and 20.0% in their teens, 20.0% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, and 20.0% in their in fifties.

Note that in Q1 the price is for the handset only, not all the accessories too. I paid about 8,000 yen for my last one, but I got a company discount. I feel too that the basic monthly fee is quite high, although lots of discounts get applied to the price. However, due to the multiple discount schemes, separate charges for services, etc, the basic plan fee always stands out as just about the biggest number on my bills.

Research results

Q1: How much did you pay for your current handset? (Sample size=300)

Zero to 9 yen	16.7%
10 to 999 yen	2.7%
1,000 to 4,999 yen	15.7%
5,000 to 9,999 yen	21.7%
10,000 to 19,999 yen	27.0%
20,000 to 29,999 yen	13.7%
30,000 to 49,999 yen	1.7%
50,000 yen or more	1.0%

Q2: How do you feel about the overall price of your current mobile phone? (Sample size=300)

Too expensive	40.3%
A little expensive	39.3%
About right	8.3%
A little cheap	3.0%
Extremely cheap	2.0%
Don’t know	7.0%

Q3: Which mobile phone-related cost would you most want to see reduced? (Sample size=300)

Handset price	14.0%
Basic monthly fee	28.3%
Call charges	25.0%
Data packet charges	12.0%
Unlimited packet plan price	19.3%
Other	0.3%
Nothing in particular	1.0%