Mobile number portability stalls
In terms of regulations drawn up by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), the operators are supposed to begin offering consumers the choice of switching, network providers without losing their telephone numbers, at the end of June. However, it’s only likely to take place in September.
The new delay is likely to anger consumers, who are under the impression that the introduction of number portability will result in greater price competition because it will be easier to switch networks.
In some markets, number portability has resulted in a marked decrease in tariffs. In other markets, particularly those with a high proportion of prepaid users, the impact has been less noticeable.
This is the second time the companies have missed a deadline to introduce the new system. Number portability was supposed to have been in place at the end of December 2005 but the operators were given a six-month reprieve by Icasa.
"We have now proposed a later date of September, though this hasn’t been finalised," says Cell C regulatory support manager Mike Falconer.
The reason for the delay is that the process of awarding the tender to build the necessary systems has taken longer than expected, he says. Bids are being adjudicated and the tender, which calls for the implementation of a centralised reference number portability database, should be issued soon. This database will be owned by a new company in which all three operators own shares.
Cell C and Virgin Mobile, which will launch in SA by mid year, are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries of number portability.
Falconer says he doesn’t know if Icasa will impose fines on the operators because of the latest delay, or even if the regulator is in a position to do so.
Ahead of the first deadline, in December, Icasa had been empowered to fine the operators a relatively trivial R500,000 each should they be late. However, no fines were imposed then because delays were caused by the late promulgation by Icasa of the necessary regulations.
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