In Nigeria, telecommunication authorities have announced a new set of conditions for Mobile Number Portability (MNP).
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said that “subscribers who apply to port their numbers will be required to swap their SIM cards from the old mobile service provider for SIM cards from the new provider.”
The industry has experienced controversy, particularly after the regulator stated late last year that companies were not following through on their promises to secure services to customers.
This latest move is viewed as being a push by authorities to improve overall telecommunication services.
“In its draft MNP 2013 regulations posted on its website, the NCC invites comments from the public and all interested stakeholders by 4 March,” said the NCC, hopeful that the country’s operators would enter into a discussion on the MNP issue.
“Porting must be initiated by the customer with a physical visit to the new operator’s sale point, such as high street store, corporate sales team or authorized dealer,” the NCC said.
“The new operator should inform the customer of the industry agreed port activation lead times and agree with her or him the actual porting time and date applicable to her or his particular order type,” was one of the new regulations handed down by the NCC.
The regulations are applicable to all telecommunication operators.
“The new operator must ensure that the customer is aware that once a porting transaction has been authorized by the customer sending the validation SMS to the specified MNP number, the porting request cannot be cancelled,” added the regulator.
* Image via Shutterstock.com
David Eto
The regulations are applicable to all telecommunication operators.