Econometrica

Journal Of The Econometric Society

An International Society for the Advancement of Economic
Theory in its Relation to Statistics and Mathematics

Edited by: Guido W. Imbens • Print ISSN: 0012-9682 • Online ISSN: 1468-0262

Econometrica: Nov, 1983, Volume 51, Issue 6

Price Elasticities for Local Telephone Calls

https://doi.org/0012-9682(198311)51:6<1699:PEFLTC>2.0.CO;2-R
p. 1699-1730

Bridger M. Mitchell, Bruce M. Wetzel, Rolla Edward Park

Price elasticities are estimated for local telephone calls and minutes of conversation using data from a pricing experiment in central Illinois conducted by General Telephone and Electronics. The experiment charges separately for calls and for minutes. Using a model that is consistent with the theory of telephone demand, the authors estimate the effects of both prices. The nonlinear generalized least squares estimates of the elasticities are fairly small--about 0.1 or less in absolute value at experimental price levels--but they are estimated with high precision. The report briefly considers the application of these results to predict the effects of introducing measured service telephone rates in other cities.


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