Abstract:

In general, the telecom industry is about to lose its power to individual consumers. Given the intensified competition in the field of telecommunications, it is consumer buying power that increasingly determines the rules of the business. However, individual consumers behaviour differs, and dynamic Asian consumers may very well show behaviour patterns quite different to those found in Western markets. In fact, the Asian-Pacific Region may well lead the way in showing the rest of the world how to benefit from IT. In all markets, suppliers survival is based on creating value for the consumer by delivering the right service at the right time and at the right price. To accomplish this, it is vital that we possess a deep understanding of consumers and their preferences in Asia as well as in our other markets. It is indeed the consumer who pays for the developments that take place in every link of the traditional telecom value chain. It is also consumer power that forces the actors in the telecom industry to focus on creating value as such, rather than on upholding the structures of the traditional value chain.