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Selecting Telecommunication Carriers to Obtain Volume Discounts

Author

Listed:
  • Joris van de Klundert

    (Mateum, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Jeroen Kuipers

    (Department of Mathematics, Maastricht University, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Frits C. R. Spieksma

    (Department of Applied Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Maarten Winkels

    (Department of Mathematics, Maastricht University, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

During 2001 many European markets for mobile phones reached saturation. Hence, mobile phone operators have shifted their focus from growth and market share to cutting costs. One way of doing so is to reduce spending on international calls, which are routed via network operating companies (carriers). These carriers charge per call-minute for each destination and may use a discount on total business volume to price their services. We developed a software system that supports decisions on allocating destinations to carriers. The core of this system is a min-cost flow routine that is embedded in a branch-and-bound framework. Our system solves the operational problem to optimality and performs what-if analyses and sensitivity analyses. A major telecommunication services provider implemented the system, realizing two benefits: it has structured the business process of allocating carriers to destinations and cut the costs of routing international calls.

Suggested Citation

  • Joris van de Klundert & Jeroen Kuipers & Frits C. R. Spieksma & Maarten Winkels, 2005. "Selecting Telecommunication Carriers to Obtain Volume Discounts," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 35(2), pages 124-132, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:35:y:2005:i:2:p:124-132
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.1040.0121
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Manerba, Daniele & Mansini, Renata & Perboli, Guido, 2018. "The Capacitated Supplier Selection problem with Total Quantity Discount policy and Activation Costs under uncertainty," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 119-132.
    3. Jose A. García-Martínez & Ana Meca & G. Alexander Vergara, 2022. "Cooperative Purchasing with General Discount: A Game Theoretical Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(22), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Li, Zhaolin & Ou, Jinwen & Liang, Guitian, 2021. "Optimizing hospital drug procurement with rebate contracts," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    5. Goossens, D.R. & Maas, A.J.T. & Spieksma, F.C.R. & van de Klundert, J.J., 2007. "Exact algorithms for procurement problems under a total quantity discount structure," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(2), pages 603-626, April.
    6. Bichler, Martin & Schneider, Stefan & Guler, Kemal & Sayal, Mehmet, 2011. "Compact bidding languages and supplier selection for markets with economies of scale and scope," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 214(1), pages 67-77, October.
    7. Manerba, Daniele & Mansini, Renata, 2012. "An exact algorithm for the Capacitated Total Quantity Discount Problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 222(2), pages 287-300.

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