Majority dissatisfied with mobile pricing in Japan
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The results of this survey from Marsh Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com into mobile phone costs and fees are not really that surprising, especially since a year or so ago companies were ordered to stop their free or one yen phone promotions and allow the consumer to see more clearly the true costs of a free phone.
Demographics
Between the 20th and 22nd of May 2009 300 members of the Marsh monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was 50:50 male and female, 2.3% in their teens, 17.7% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.0% aged sixty or older.
To research this story, I popped into a docomo mobile phone shop on the way home. They must have been embarrassed about it, as they only had tiny 8 point type price tags, which showed that all the spring and summer models were between 50,000 and 70,000 yen for the standard spec of 8 megapixel camera, one-seg television, electronic cash and the like. Even three revisions ago’s 18 month old phones were sitting at just under 40,000 yen, so I don’t think I’ll be upgrading my two and a half year old phone just yet!
My basic plan price is reasonable, but the unlimited packet deal at about 4,400 yen per month (on top of 2,000 yen or so basic plan) is just not justified for my current phone.
Research results
From the original sample 283 people, or 94.3%, had mobile phones. They were asked the following.
Q1: How do you feel about the price of mobile phones these days? (Sample size=283)
Too expensive 62.5% A little expensive 27.6% About right price 4.6% A little cheap 0.4% Too cheap 0.0% Don’t know the price, can’t determine 4.9% Q2: How do you feel about your current mobile phone’s monthly basic plan fees? (Sample size=283)
Completely satisfied 2.5% Not dissatisified 25.4% A little expensive 48.1% Expensive 14.8% Very expensive 9.2% Yes, the above set of answers is strange going from “satisfied” to “expensive”, but that’s what it said!
Q3: Which aspect of mobile phone costs would you most want to see come down in price? (Sample size=283)
Handset price 25.4% Monthly base charge 23.7% All-you-can-eat data package plan fees 18.0% Talk fees 17.3% Data packet fees 13.8% Other 0.7% Nothing in particular 1.1%
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Since the “unlimited” plan is only unlimited within the walled garden of the providers’ own servers it’s really not worth it. I ended up switching to the minimal packet service instead and not using the net at all from the phone, apart from the occasional mail.
They are pretty expensive.
J-phones from any company are a total rip-off. Unbelievable that the Japanese are so painfully ignorant/gullible to even tolerate the ridiculous prices they are charged for services. For what my friends pay in a year of cell phone use, I can buy a round trip ticket back to the states for Xmas holidays with my family. I don’t know about other country’s cell phone rates, but the USA seems pretty darn cheap by comparison. Wish the Japanese would wake up and realize they are getting screwed for services that should be less than half of what they pay.