Mobile Number Portability Booming

Haruna Iddrisu commending network operators for their support

Mobile Number Portability (MNP), the process whereby mobile phone users move from one mobile service provider to another while retaining their mobile numbers has been successful, according to the National Communications Authority (NCA).

Celebrating the first anniversary of the introduction of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP), Paarock VanPercy, Director-General of the NCA said, 'If one agrees to port his or her number, they are leaving their old network entirely and joining a new network.'

'MNP is not a mass movement exercise but rather a choice that one could port at anytime, movement could be attributed to dissatisfaction of mobile customers in service delivery,' he said.

He further stated that at the end of the first year of MNP in Ghana, 370,107 mobile numbers had ported successfully which represents approximately 1.6 per cent of the total active mobile numbers subscriber base in the market.

The MNP Consultant, Bob Palitz, giving a breakdown of the porting process, said MTN recorded 66,320 subscribers and those who ported out of that network registered 191,681, representing a net loss of 125,36.

MTN was followed by Expresso with a net loss of 418 while 147,709 ported to Tigo followed by Vodafone with 103,243, Airtel with 44,742 and lastly Glo with 7,984.

Statistics indicate that MTN lost more customers while Tigo leads the pack.

The Director Regulatory Administration, Josuah Peprah asked the networks to maintain their customers by providing quality and affordable services.

Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrisu stated that MNP is a social operational mechanism instituted to enable mobile service providers maintain their customers, adding that it will ensure that the networks continue to provide proper, efficient and quality mobile service delivery.

 
He further commended the operators and representatives of the various telecommunication companies for their support, noting that government would adopt measures to support MNP to become very successful.

In July 2011, the first month of operation, the average time to complete a port was 5 hours, 21 minutes. Month by month, the average time reduced to 2 hours, 37 minutes in April, 2012.

After adjustment were made, the average porting times dropped to 1 hour, 35 minutes in May 2012 and 1 hour, 24 minutes in June 2012. After automation adjustment and installation, average porting time dropped between 7 and 8 minutes, he stated.

He indicated that mobile customers, who wish to port their numbers, must visit the shops of their desired networks with their phones and IDs.

By Abubakari Seidu Ajarfor