IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v81y2025ics0160791x24003580.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the key factors influencing 4G users' intentions to upgrade to 5G networks

Author

Listed:
  • Lu, Hsiao-Han
  • Huang, Shi-Fen

Abstract

This research examines how 4G network quality (i.e., speed, coverage, and call and text quality), media reviews, 5G promotion, and 5G perceived cost affect 5G perceived value, customer satisfaction, and corporate image toward a mobile network provider. These factors consequently influence loyalty and intention to use 5G from the perspective of customer-based brand equity. The results show the following key effects. (1) Network coverage and speed of 4G have positive effects on corporate image; (2) Call and text quality of 4G has a significantly positive effect on satisfaction, but a significantly negative effect on 5G perceived value. These findings imply that the high quality of call and text of 4G offered by current providers may reduce the perceived value of 5G, as users may feel that their current 4G service is already good for use. However, 5G technology is still progressing. (3) Media reviews have positive effects on corporate image and 5G perceived value, but significantly negative effects on customer satisfaction. These findings suggest that media reviews enhance corporate image and value perceptions. However, the heightened expectations they create may lead to reduced customer satisfaction; (4) 5G perceived value is the primary driving force of customers’ intention to use 5G, and 5G promotion is the strongest predictor among the factors influencing this perceived value; (5) Customer satisfaction with mobile network providers negatively relates to intention to use 5G, but positively relates to loyalty. Customer satisfaction can thus lead to the intention to use 5G through customer loyalty. Lastly, theoretical and practical implications for mobile service providers are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Hsiao-Han & Huang, Shi-Fen, 2025. "Assessing the key factors influencing 4G users' intentions to upgrade to 5G networks," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:81:y:2025:i:c:s0160791x24003580
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102810
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X24003580
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102810?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Natarajan, Thamaraiselvan & Balasubramanian, Senthil Arasu & Kasilingam, Dharun Lingam, 2018. "The moderating role of device type and age of users on the intention to use mobile shopping applications," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 79-90.
    2. Alshawawreh, Ali Ra’Ed & Liébana-Cabanillas, Francisco & Blanco-Encomienda, Francisco Javier, 2024. "Impact of big data analytics on telecom companies' competitive advantage," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    3. Yonggui Wang & Hing-Po Lo & Yongheng Yang, 2004. "An Integrated Framework for Service Quality, Customer Value, Satisfaction: Evidence from China's Telecommunication Industry," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 6(4), pages 325-340, December.
    4. Xin Xu & James Y. L. Thong & Viswanath Venkatesh, 2014. "Effects of ICT Service Innovation and Complementary Strategies on Brand Equity and Customer Loyalty in a Consumer Technology Market," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 710-729, December.
    5. Jesús J. Cambra-Fierro & María Fuentes-Blasco & Rocío Huerta-Álvarez & Ana Olavarría, 2021. "Customer-based brand equity and customer engagement in experiential services: insights from an emerging economy," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 15(3), pages 467-491, September.
    6. Hsieh, Jung-Kuei, 2020. "The effects of transforming mobile services into mobile promotions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 195-208.
    7. Cheng, Li-Keng & Huang, Hsien-Long & Yang, Shou-Yu, 2021. "Attitude toward 5G: The moderating effect of regulatory focus," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Tseng, Fang-Mei & Lo, Hui-Yi, 2011. "Antecedents of consumers' intentions to upgrade their mobile phones," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 74-86, February.
    9. Al-Adwan, Ahmad Samed & Al-Debei, Mutaz M. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2022. "E-commerce in high uncertainty avoidance cultures: The driving forces of repurchase and word-of-mouth intentions," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    10. Ronan de Kervenoael & Rajibul Hasan & Alexandre Schwob & Edwin Goh, 2020. "Leveraging human-robot interaction in hospitality services: Incorporating the role of perceived value, empathy, and information sharing into visitors’ intentions to use social robots," Post-Print hal-02782265, HAL.
    11. Gerpott, Torsten J. & Rams, Wolfgang & Schindler, Andreas, 2001. "Customer retention, loyalty, and satisfaction in the German mobile cellular telecommunications market," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 249-269, May.
    12. Natarajan, Thamaraiselvan & Balasubramanian, Senthil Arasu & Kasilingam, Dharun Lingam, 2017. "Understanding the intention to use mobile shopping applications and its influence on price sensitivity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 8-22.
    13. Chang, Chiao-Chen, 2015. "Exploring mobile application customer loyalty: The moderating effect of use contexts," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 678-690.
    14. Liu, Chung-Tzer & Guo, Yi Maggie & Lee, Chia-Hui, 2011. "The effects of relationship quality and switching barriers on customer loyalty," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 71-79.
    15. Moriuchi, Emi & Takahashi, Ikuo, 2018. "An empirical investigation of the factors motivating Japanese repeat consumers to review their shopping experiences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 381-390.
    16. Talwar, Manish & Talwar, Shalini & Kaur, Puneet & Islam, A.K.M. Najmul & Dhir, Amandeep, 2021. "Positive and negative word of mouth (WOM) are not necessarily opposites: A reappraisal using the dual factor theory," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    17. Shah, Sayed Kifayat & Zhongjun, Tang & Sattar, Abdul & XinHao, Zhou, 2021. "Consumer's intention to purchase 5G: Do environmental awareness, environmental knowledge and health consciousness attitude matter?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    18. Lai, Fujun & Griffin, Mitch & Babin, Barry J., 2009. "How quality, value, image, and satisfaction create loyalty at a Chinese telecom," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(10), pages 980-986, October.
    19. Anderson, Kelley C. & Knight, Dee K. & Pookulangara, Sanjukta & Josiam, Bharath, 2014. "Influence of hedonic and utilitarian motivations on retailer loyalty and purchase intention: a facebook perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 773-779.
    20. Kim, Moon-Koo & Park, Myeong-Cheol & Jeong, Dong-Heon, 2004. "The effects of customer satisfaction and switching barrier on customer loyalty in Korean mobile telecommunication services," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 145-159, March.
    21. Buil, Isabel & de Chernatony, Leslie & Martínez, Eva, 2013. "Examining the role of advertising and sales promotions in brand equity creation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 115-122.
    22. Shahid, Shadma & Islam, Jamid Ul & Malik, Shehla & Hasan, Uzma, 2022. "Examining consumer experience in using m-banking apps: A study of its antecedents and outcomes," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    23. Chuang, Yi-Fei, 2011. "Pull-and-suck effects in Taiwan mobile phone subscribers switching intentions," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 128-140, March.
    24. Deng, Zhaohua & Lu, Yaobin & Wei, Kwok Kee & Zhang, Jinlong, 2010. "Understanding customer satisfaction and loyalty: An empirical study of mobile instant messages in China," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 289-300.
    25. Shah, Sayed Kifayat & Zhongjun, Tang, 2021. "Elaborating on the consumer’s intention–behavior gap regarding 5G technology: The moderating role of the product market-creation ability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    26. Lian, Jiunn-Woei & Li, Ji, 2021. "The dimensions of trust:An investigation of mobile payment services in Taiwan," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    27. Alalwan, Ali Abdallah, 2020. "Mobile food ordering apps: An empirical study of the factors affecting customer e-satisfaction and continued intention to reuse," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 28-44.
    28. Lim, Xin-Jean & Cheah, Jun-Hwa & Ng, Siew Imm & Basha, Norazlyn Kamal & Soutar, Geoff, 2021. "The effects of anthropomorphism presence and the marketing mix have on retail app continuance use intention," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muhammad Irfan & Mohammad Farid Shamsudin & Noor Hadi, 2016. "How Important Is Customer Satisfaction? Quantitative Evidence from Mobile Telecommunication Market," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(6), pages 1-57, May.
    2. Zhang, Qi & Ariffin, Shaizatulaqma Kamalul & Richardson, Christopher & Wang, Yuling, 2023. "Influencing factors of customer loyalty in mobile payment: A consumption value perspective and the role of alternative attractiveness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Wang, Wei-Tsong & Ou, Wei-Ming & Chen, Wen-Yin, 2019. "The impact of inertia and user satisfaction on the continuance intentions to use mobile communication applications: A mobile service quality perspective," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 178-193.
    4. Gerpott, Torsten J. & Ahmadi, Nima, 2015. "Determinants of willingness to look for separate international roaming services—An empirical study of mobile communication customers in Germany," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 192-203.
    5. Mohammed Belal Uddin & Bilkis Akhter, 2012. "Customer Satisfaction In Mobile Phone Services In Bangladesh: A Survey Research," Management and Marketing Journal, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 0(1), pages 20-36, May.
    6. Karjaluoto, Heikki & Jayawardhena, Chanaka & Leppäniemi, Matti & Pihlström, Minna, 2012. "How value and trust influence loyalty in wireless telecommunications industry," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 636-649.
    7. Obinna C. Ojiaku & Aihie Osarenkhoe, 2018. "Determinants of Customers’ Brand Choice and Continuance Intentions with Mobile Data Service Provider: The Role of Past Experience," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 19(6), pages 1478-1493, December.
    8. repec:osf:osfxxx:qzpxk_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jogi Mathew, 2024. "Drivers of Customer Retention: An Introspection Into Indian Retail Customers," Vision, , vol. 28(5), pages 567-579, November.
    10. Shah, Sayed Kifayat & Yuan, Jingbo & Tajeddini, Kayhan & Gamage, Thilini Chathurika & Liu, Mingxia, 2025. "Exploring the nexus of institutional factors and regulatory focus in driving platform-based servitization and circular economy adoption," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. José Torrão & Sandrina Teixeira, 2023. "The Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction in the Portuguese Telecommunications Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, February.
    12. Sabakun Naher Shetu, 2025. "Determinants of generation Z consumers’ mobile online shopping apps continuance intention to use during COVID-19 and beyond—an empirical study," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    13. , Le Thanh Tung, 2024. "Impact of relationship quality on customer loyalty: A study in the banking system," OSF Preprints qzpxk, Center for Open Science.
    14. Lara Stocchi & Naser Pourazad & Nina Michaelidou & Arry Tanusondjaja & Paul Harrigan, 2022. "Marketing research on Mobile apps: past, present and future," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 195-225, March.
    15. Wajeeha Aslam & Imtiaz Arif & Kashif Farhat & Marium Khursheed, 2018. "The Role of Customer Trust, Service Quality and Value Dimensions in Determining Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Empirical Study of Mobile Telecommunication Industry in Pakistan," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 30(2), pages 177-194.
    16. Kim, Moon-Koo & Park, Myeong-Cheol & Lee, Duk Hee & Park, Jong-Hyun, 2017. "Determinants of the subscription to bundled services and their effect on customer retention in the Korean communications sector," 14th ITS Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, Kyoto 2017: Mapping ICT into Transformation for the Next Information Society 168501, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    17. Capponi, Giovanna & Corrocher, Nicoletta & Zirulia, Lorenzo, 2021. "Personalized pricing for customer retention: Theory and evidence from mobile communication," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1).
    18. Deng, Zhaohua & Lu, Yaobin & Wei, Kwok Kee & Zhang, Jinlong, 2010. "Understanding customer satisfaction and loyalty: An empirical study of mobile instant messages in China," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 289-300.
    19. Kim, Moon-Koo & Park, Myeong-Cheol & Lee, Duk Hee & Park, Jong-Hyun, 2019. "Determinants of subscriptions to communications service bundles and their effects on customer retention in Korea," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(9).
    20. Zhong, Junying & Chen, Tiao, 2023. "Antecedents of mobile payment loyalty: An extended perspective of perceived value and information system success model," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    21. Yogesh Verma & Maithili R. P. Singh, 2017. "Marketing Mix, Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: An Empirical Study of Telecom Sector in Bhutan," Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, Educational Research Multimedia & Publications,India, vol. 8(2), pages 121-129, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:81:y:2025:i:c:s0160791x24003580. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.