The perceptual map here displays the coverage reliability and cost of Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data (TTD) for the 5 major carriers in the US. The cost is based on single line cost assuming no other carrier discounts or installment billing contracts or enhanced line access fees due to subsidization of the device being used. As you can see in the perceptual map, the provider who has the greatest coverage across all of the US is Verizon, and is still a bit more affordable for a single line plan of unlimited data than is AT&T who is their next closest competitor for coverage reliability. T-Mobile and Sprint are able to provide their unlimited service cheaper than Verizon and AT&T largely because they rely heavily on the infrastructure of their bandwidth competition. That is to say that because Sprint is a CDMA network, it is able to use Verizon's CDMA signal towers to provide a roaming signal to many of their customers without the need to put up their own towers. T-Mobile does the same with AT&T's GSM towers. This effective borrowing of service allows for the budget carriers to provide their service at a lower cost, but their customers end up sacrificing their speed of service and priority in line behind the customers of Verizon and AT&T when using the larger companies' respective towers. US Cellular is in its own niche of the market providing service in many remote locations such as Northern Maine, Western New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as many of the other Canadian border states. Because they had to develop their own infrastructure for their service, it is a bit more expensive than Sprint or T-Mobile, however their coverage also suffers in the grand scheme compared to the other carriers because they are offering a very particular service in very particular areas. A consumer or even competing cell phone carrier would be able to look at this perceptual map to see where they would try to fit in the market, who they would be best to try to compete with, or for a consumer, who would be the best carrier to select for their own personal service. This is however, as was mentioned before, not taking into account phone availability and pricing with devices or less usual billing alternatives that may sway a consumer from one carrier to another.
The perceptual map here displays the coverage reliability and cost of Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data (TTD) for the 5 major carriers in the US. The cost is based on single line cost assuming no other carrier discounts or installment billing contracts or enhanced line access fees due to subsidization of the device being used. As you can see in the perceptual map, the provider who has the greatest coverage across all of the US is Verizon, and is still a bit more affordable for a single line plan of unlimited data than is AT&T who is their next closest competitor for coverage reliability. T-Mobile and Sprint are able to provide their unlimited service cheaper than Verizon and AT&T largely because they rely heavily on the infrastructure of their bandwidth competition. That is to say that because Sprint is a CDMA network, it is able to use Verizon's CDMA signal towers to provide a roaming signal to many of their customers without the need to put up their own towers. T-Mobile does the same with AT&T's GSM towers. This effective borrowing of service allows for the budget carriers to provide their service at a lower cost, but their customers end up sacrificing their speed of service and priority in line behind the customers of Verizon and AT&T when using the larger companies' respective towers. US Cellular is in its own niche of the market providing service in many remote locations such as Northern Maine, Western New Hampshire and Vermont, as well as many of the other Canadian border states. Because they had to develop their own infrastructure for their service, it is a bit more expensive than Sprint or T-Mobile, however their coverage also suffers in the grand scheme compared to the other carriers because they are offering a very particular service in very particular areas. A consumer or even competing cell phone carrier would be able to look at this perceptual map to see where they would try to fit in the market, who they would be best to try to compete with, or for a consumer, who would be the best carrier to select for their own personal service. This is however, as was mentioned before, not taking into account phone availability and pricing with devices or less usual billing alternatives that may sway a consumer from one carrier to another. 
Hello Alex,
ReplyDeleteGreat article!
Currently a student for BSBA marketing, doing research for MAR_411 credit.
Do you mind telling me what was your statistical source for doing the perceptual map?
Thank you for so much for your return,
Pierre Brown