Geographic Number Portability kicks in
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) yesterday announced that the Geographic Number Portability implementation process has started.
According to ICASA Geographic Number Portability (also known as Fixed Number Portability) – the ability of fixed-line customers to switch from one fixed-line operator to another without losing their fixed-line numbers – is set to ‘become effective as from the 18th May 2009’.
“It should be noted that Geographic Number Portability will be implemented in phases with the first phase only dealing with blocks of one thousand (1000) and ten thousand (10000) numbers and more (mostly for corporate customers) and the second phase dealing with individual numbers (mostly for residential customers),” ICASA said.
“Individual customers will therefore not be able to port their individual numbers during the first phase. Residential customers will only be able to port during the second phase the date of which is to be announced.”
The regulator pointed out that in terms of the regulations the second phase will be completed within 10 months following the implementation of the first phase. “Telkom and Neotel have committed themselves to the 18th May 2009 as the date for the implementation of Block Geographic Number Portability,” ICASA said.
Neotel has previously indicated that Geographic Number Portability will allow the company to compete more effectively with Telkom and remove many of the costs and hassles typically associated with migrating to a different operator.
Geographic Number Portability discussion
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