CCK guarantee Kenyans that Mobile Number Portability must be executed

 By Dan Muhuni

Despite some of the operators cautioning that the proposed number portability is fraught with risk Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) has come out in protection of the extensive reports that a number of mobile phone operators are not prepared to put into practice Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by the set date of 1st April 2011, the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) has come out to ensure the public that the process is on course.

Service Provider Number Portability is a service that gives a mobile subscriber the option of retaining his/her mobile phone number even after switching to a different network, providing them the flexibility to migrating with their numbers to any network and operators to continuously improve the quality and prices of their services in order to retain and attract more customers.

However, experts have cautioned that the threat for operators is that regulators may use it as a tool to force tariffs down in a low income-earning market and create opportunities to license more operators.

South Africa, which was the first market and the benchmark for number portability in Africa, has experienced a marketing frenzy as rival operators sought to outmaneuver each other with cheaper and more innovative packages, forcing tariffs down.

Studies also show that subscribers in countries where handset subsidies are prevalent are likely to form part of a "grab and go" trend, joining one operator for a new, trendy phone and then migrating to another that offers the best pricing or most attractive services.

But while this looks enticing to mobile phone users in Kenya, the operators are also cautioning that the proposed number portability is fraught with risk.

"Airtel Kenya supports the eventual introduction of number portability into the Kenyan market but does not view it as being feasible in the Kenyan market today due to various factors such as the high implementation costs, low rural mobile penetration and relatively low cost of obtaining a sim card in the predominantly pre-paid market," said Rene Meza, the company's managing director in a past interview.

In December 2010, Kenyans witnessed the signing of a service agreement by the four mobile operators in the country - Airtel, Safaricom, Orange and Yu – with  M/s Porting Access Kenya Ltd for the implementation of MNP. According to the agreement, there will be a maximum charge of not exceeding Kshs. 173 (exclusive of VAT) for each number port and a Service Level Agreement. The agreement also provides for the establishment of an MNP working group consisting of representatives from all operators. The MNP working group will collectively implement and manage the provision of porting services.

MNP was set to come into effect on 1 April 2011, three months behind the earlier scheduled date of December 31, 2010. Recent reports in the media indicated that some mobile operators like Orange are not ready to implement Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by the set date of 1st April 2011.

Commission has come out in defense of their position. In a statement issued by CCK Director General, Charles Njoroge, the Commission states that they have been working closely with the mobile operators and the licensed porting service provider (i.e. M/s Porting Access Kenya) to ensure that the implementation process is on course.  According to their latest signed reports of the technical meetings, all operators are ready to commence testing their MNP systems this week.

The Commission states that mobile operators and M/s Porting Access Kenya are committed to and are co-operation in implementing the service. Although the mobile operators may not be exactly at the same level of preparedness, the Commission is yet to receive any formal notification suggesting inability to implement MNP by the agreed date of 1 April 2011 from any of the licensed mobile service providers.

The Commission also states that they shall continue monitoring progress in respect to implementation of MNP and inform the public accordingly.