Hedonic prices in the German market for mobile phones

This paper provides a hedonic price analysis of mobile telephones for the German market, based on data of 302 different handsets from 25 manufacturers over the period from May 1998 to November 2003. By measuring shadow prices for different product characteristics, the authors find that volume, for example, has a negative effect on the price of a mobile handset, while the number of ringtones and the talk time battery life relative to the handset's weight positively affect mobile phone prices. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, radiation is statistically insignificant. Also handsets have become cheaper over time, and handsets with additional features, such as MMS, MP3 or Bluetooth, command a higher price. In addition, there are positive brand name effects for some brands. According to the estimations presented in this paper the brand name premiums may range from 57 to 172 euro.