NCC set for
number
portability
10
October 10, 2011
News
Nigerian Communications
Commission, NCC, weekend,
said it had appointed a
consortium of three
companies to implement the
proposed number portability
services which will allow
Nigerian phone users move
from one network to another
without losing their numbers.
The consortium of
Interconnect/Saab Grintek/
Telecordia was announced
by the commission as the
preferred vendor for the
service after the technical,
financial and demo
presentations by the bidding
vendors.
Number portability will allow
subscribers move to alternate
networks when they are no
longer enjoying the quality of
services being obtained from
their current operators or
when they are no longer
happy with the tariffs offered
by their current subscribers.
They will still retain their
original numbers irrespective
of the new network from
which they may be obtaining
their services.
The company will be
responsible for the set up and
implementation of number
portability clearing house and
provide mobile number
portability solution
administration in the country
within six months of
receiving the licence with a
testing period of two
months.
Members of the consortium
will execute a tripartite
agreement that will indicate
their specific responsibilities in
the process, with the
regulator approving such
agreement to tally with the
conditions of the provision of
the service.
NCC will mandate the
consortium to ensure local
content participation and skills
transfer were entrenched in
the process during the
implementation of the five-
year licence.
The consortium is also
expected to configure the
technical solution for number
portability in line with the
consultation documents as
earlier published by the
commission, and the solution
is to be customised to meet
specific process needs and
other requirements of the
Nigerian network operators.
It will be recalled that NCC
had earlier indicated that the
Number Portability
programme will be the next
logical step following the SIM
card registration exercise, as
it was necessary to know the
identity of subscribers who
are porting their numbers at
different times from one
network to another.

very good move! hope they would ensure that all the loopholes are covered in the legislation to ensure the ordinary nigerian doesn't get punished by these networks. As in the UK, your current provided only has 14days to get you switched off thier network i.e, get your number released!

How long will this take them?

Good. I know the network to migrate to once that happens.

otokx: How long will this take them?

4 years

This will Bleep the arce of MTN. It is belated.