Mobile Operators: Tired of Margin Pressure?

A cost management approach for the mobile communications industry

Market saturation, fierce competition and investors' tremendous expectations are putting intense pressure on mobile operators. Growth rates for mobile operators are flattening in nearly all regions globally. Combine this with fierce price wars in several markets and shrinking margins, and it is clear why margins for Western European mobile operators have dropped by more than 3 percent in recent years. Operators in Eastern Europe and Asia have suffered similar declines.

A.T. Kearney's European and Global Cost Benchmarking, as a first step in a three-phased operational excellence approach, can serve as a starting point to manage costs, improve operations and develop a cost-conscious culture.