Determinants of Mobile Service Provider Selection in Rural-Urban India: A Demographic Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing mobile service provider selection among 550 respondents in East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Employing a comprehensive survey methodology, we examine ten service attributes and their variation across demographic segments including age, income, occupation, education, gender, and provider affiliation. The findings reveal that internet speed (90.9%), 4G/5G availability (85.7%), and recharge options (83.2%) are the most influential factors, while traditional considerations like affordable tariff plans (51.7%) and network coverage (57.2%) rank lower. Notably, income significantly differentiates priorities for internet speed (F=85.404, p=0.000), while occupation influences perceptions of call quality and promotional offers. Factor analysis extracted four dimensions: Core Service Fundamentals, Value-Added Data Appeal, Brand Perception, and Trust-Communication Reliability. Regression analysis identifies affordable tariff plans as the sole significant predictor of provider selection (β=0.259, p=0.035). The study provides actionable insights for telecom operators in emerging markets characterized by high multi-SIM usage (83.3%) and data-centric consumption patterns.