The long awaited implementation of number portability is set to begin with the appointment by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the weekend of a consortium of three companies to implement the proposed services in Nigeria.
Number portability will allow phone users to move from one network to another without losing their numbers. A 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.
Consequently, the company will be responsible for the set up and implementation of Number Portability Clearing House in Nigeria, and provide mobile number portability solution administration in Nigeria within six months of receiving the licence with a testing period of two months.
The members of the consortium are to 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 in Nigeria.
The NCC also mandates the consortium to ensure that local content participation and adequate skills transfer are entrenched in the process during the implementation of the five-year license.
The consortium is also expected to configure the technical solution for number portability in Nigeria line with the consultation documents as earlier published by the Commission, and the solution is to be customised to meet the specific process needs, as well as other requirements of the Nigerian network operators.
It would be recalled that the Commission has earlier indicated that the Number Portability programme will be the next logical step following the SIM Card registration exercise as it is necessary to know the identity of subscribers who are porting their numbers at different times from one network to another.
Number portability will allow subscribers to 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 as they will still retain their original numbers irrespective of the new network from which they may be obtaining their services.