NCC directs mobile operators to conclude subscriber registration

The Nigerian Communications Commission has ahead of the introduction of mobile number portability in the country, directed mobile network operators to tidy up the registration of subscribers on their respective networks.

The Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, who confirmed this in Abuja on Monday, declined to confirm the take-off date for the mobile number portability, there were indications that its inauguration ceremony might hold on Monday, April 15, 2013.

Ojobo stated that the directive became necessary because subscribers that had not registered their Subscriber Identification Module cards would not be able to port their numbers.

He said such subscribers would eventually be cut off from the networks not long after the take-off of the number portability service.

Number portability is an application that enables subscribers to migrate from one service provider to another without losing their numbers and the service is expected to put network operators on their toes in offering good quality service at very competitive tariffs.

NCC had planned to commence the mobile number portability on March 25 but had to announce the postponement for about three weeks.

Announcing the postponement, Ojobo had said it became necessary to enable the regulatory agency to sensitise Nigerians on how to port their numbers from one network to another, and to allow operators time to test their systems.

'The mobile operators are fine-tuning their equipment and they have requested for about three more weeks to test their equipment. They have been given additional three weeks, but definitely; the launch of number portability must be in April,' he had said.

The Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the service was being introduced to act as an incentive for networks to improve their quality of service and customer satisfaction.

The NCC had in 2011 issued a licence to Interconnect/Saab Grintek/Telecordia to run the porting platform for a period of five years in the first instance.

Consequently, the consortium will be responsible for the setting up and implementation of the Number Portability Clearing House in Nigeria and provide mobile number portability solution administration.

In the Nigeria Mobile Number Portability Business Rules and Port Order Processes, the industry regulator said a central reference database would be implemented by the licensee.