- According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, the number of telephone lines that have been out-ported by subscribers from one network to another has risen to 295,930 as at May this year, New Telegraph has learnt. The new figure was disclosed in a data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which provides industry status report on Mobile Number Portability (MNP) activities on telecoms networks.
- The telecoms regulator launched the MNP service in 2013 to provide wider choices for the bourgeoning telecoms subscribers to migrate from one network to another if there is a need for it without losing their original line.
- Following the intermittent quality of services (QoS) often experienced on networks and the growing dissatisfaction by subscribers on their networks, the NCC came up with the porting initiative to allow subscribers move to another competing network with improved service.
- This, this commission said, would compel telecoms operators to increase their network investment towards building a network that will encourage their subscribers to stay on their networks, thereby igniting competition that leads to increased network quality by the operators. Of the over 146 million active telephone subscribers in the country as at May, the NCC, in its latest report, said that 296,000 have out-ported so far.
- Following its launch in April 2013, the number of ported lines in the month of May stood at 7,013. In June, July, August, September, the number of ported lines rose to 5,802; 6,753 12,039 and 13,072 respectively. In October, November and December 2013, the monthly figure also increased to 14,296; 7,830 and 5,850 in that order.
Source: New Telegraph
