Mobile number portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.
[edit]General overview
MNP is implemented in different ways across the globe. The international and European standard is for a customer wishing to port his/her number to contact the new provider (Recipient) who will then arrange necessary process with the old provider (Donor). This is also known as 'Recipient-Led' porting. The UK is the only country to not implement a Recipient-Led system, where a customer wishing to port his/her number is required to contact the Donor to obtain a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) which he/she then has to give to the Recipient. Once having received the PAC the Recipient continues the port process by contacting the Donor. This form of porting is also known as 'Donor-Led' and has been criticised by some industry analysts as being inefficient. It has also been observed that it may act as a customer deterrent as well as allowing the Donor an opportunity of 'winning-back' the customer. This might lead to distortion of competition, especially in the markets with new entrants that are yet to achieve scalability of operation.
[edit]Technical details
A significant technical aspect of MNP (Mobile Number Portability) is related to the routing of calls or mobile messages (SMS, MMS) to a number once it has been ported. There are various flavours of call routing implementation across the globe but the international and European best practice is via the use of a central database (CDB) of ported numbers. Network operator makes copies of CDB and queries it to find out which network to send a call to. This is also known as All Call Query (ACQ) and is highly efficient and scalable. Majority of the established and upcoming MNP systems across the world are based on this ACQ/CDB method of call routing. One of the very few countries to not use ACQ/CDB is the UK where calls to a number once it has been ported are still routed via the Donor network. This is also known as 'Indirect Routing' and is highly inefficient as it is wasteful of transmission and switching capacity. Because of its Donor dependent nature, Indirect Routing also means that if the Donor network develops a fault or goes out of business, the customers who have ported out of that network will lose incoming calls to their numbers. The UK telecoms regulator Ofcom completed its extended review of the UK MNP process on 29 November 2007 and mandated that ACQ/CDB be implemented for mobile to mobile ported calls by no later than 1 September 2009, and for all other (fixed and mobile) ported calls by no later than 31 December 2012.
Prior to March 2008 it took a minimum of 5 working days to port a number in the UK compared to 2 hours only in USA, as low as 20 minutes in the Republic of Ireland, 3 minutes in Australia and even a matter of seconds in New Zealand. On 17 July 2007, Ofcom released its conclusions from the review of UK MNP and mandated reduction of porting time to 2 working days with effect from 1 April 2008. On 29 November 2007, Ofcom completed its consultation on further reduction to porting time to 2 hours along with recipient led porting and mandated that near-instant (no more than 2 hours) recipient led porting be implemented by no later than 1 September 2009.
In a decentralised model of MNP, a FNR (Flexible Number Register) may be used to manage a database of ported out/ported in numbers for call routing.
[edit]Number Lookup Services
Service providers and carriers who route messages and voice calls to MNP-enabled countries might use HLR query services to find out the correct network of a mobile phone number. A number of such services exist, which query the operator's home location register (HLR) over the SS7 signalling network in order to determine the current network of a specified mobile phone number prior to attempted routing of messaging or voice traffic.
[edit]Mobile number portability by country
[edit]Americas
Country | Implementation date yyyy.mm.dd | Time to port days | Price | Short notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2008.09.01 | 3 | Free | The plan started in March 2007 | [1] |
| Dominican Republic | 2009.09.30 | 3–10 | 80.00 DOP | [2] | |
| Ecuador | 2009.10.12 | 4 | Free | ASCP handled by Systor, Telconet and JR Electric Supply | |
| Mexico | 2008.07.05 | Service handled by Telcordia Technologies and Neoris | [3] | ||
| Peru | 2010.01.01 | 7-9 | Free | The user will assume the cost of the new sim card of the new mobile company that will cost around 15 PEN |
[edit]Asia Pacific
| Country | Implementation date yyyy.mm.dd | Time to port days | Price | Short notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2001.09.25 | 1 | Free | Previously prefixes 04x1, 04x2, 04x3 referred to Optus 04x4, 04x5 and 04x6 referred to Vodafone 043x, referred to Vodafone Hutchison Australia formally known as Hutchison 3G Australia. 04x7, 04x8, 04x9 and 0410x referred to Telstra | [4] |
| Hong Kong | 1999.03.01 | 2 | Free | Service handled by Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA). In the network, you may be charged unexpectedly for a call to a mobile that has been ported form a different network. | [5][6] [7] |
| Malaysia | 2008.10 | 1 or more | Free | [8][9][10][11] | |
| Pakistan | 2007.03.23 | 4 | Customers can port between prepay and post pay options. On port-In, the Donor company provides, free balance and on-net free minutes. Service handled byPakistan MNP Database (Guarantee) Limited[12] | ||
| Singapore | 2008.06.13 | Vendor for database installation is Syniverse Technologies | |||
| Taiwan | 2005.10.?? | ||||
| Thailand | 2010.12.?? | 5 | 99 Baht | Number Portability Clearinghouse service is handled byTelcordia Technologies. | |
| India | 2010.11.01 | 3[13] |  19 [14] | Syniverse Technologies and Telecordia have installed database servers. MNP is expected to be launched in India on 31 October 2010. However, the customer can port between pre paid and post paid and vice versa within the same operator in most of the major operators.[15] |
[edit]Europe
| Country | Implementation date yyyy.mm.dd | Time to port days | Price | Short notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 2006.01.15 | [16] | |||
| Belgium | 2002.10.?? | Free | The central solution CRDC has been re-implemented several times. First time it was implemented byTelcordia Technologies US, second time by Cap Gemini Sweden and Belgium, third time by PorthusBelgium. Access to DB: setup fee : €11 000, annual fee: € 3000. | ||
| Bulgaria | 2008.04.?? | 2.56 EUR | |||
| Greece | 2004.??.?? | Service handled by Telcordia Technologies | |||
| Denmark | 2001.??.?? | 30-60 | 0-29 DKK | The central solutions is called OCH - Operators Clearing House | [17][18] |
| Estonia | 2005.01.01 | ||||
| Finland | 2003.07.25 | Free | Handled by the company Numpac | [19] | |
| France | 2003.06.?? | 10 | Heavily improved since May 2007 with a 10-days maximum lead time (was taking 2 months in most cases before then) | ||
| Germany | 2002.11.01 | 25 EUR | The average price charged is about € 25. The exact amount depends on the old provider. A price limit of € 30.72 was set by the Bundesnetzagentur. | [20] [21] | |
| Hungary | 2004.??.?? | 8 | Free | ||
| Ireland | 2003.??.?? | 0 (typically 1-2 hours) | Free | ||
| Italy | 2002.01.15 | 3 | |||
| Latvia | 10 | Free | |||
| Lithuania | 2005.??.?? | Service handled by Telcordia Technologies | |||
| Luxembourg | 2005.02.01 | 1 | Managed by the G.I.E Telcom E.I.G. operator group and developed, installed and operated by Systor Trondheim AS. | ||
| Macedonia | 2008.09.01 | The reference database was developed, installed and is presently operated by Seavus Group. | |||
| Norway | 2001.04.01 | 5 | NOK 0 - 200 | Administrated by the National Reference Database (NRDB). The reference database was developed, installed and is presently operated by Systor Trondheim AS. | |
| Poland | 2006.02.?? | Free | To be administrated by the National Central Database (PLI-CBD) run by Office of Electronic Communications (UKE). 30-day max porting time is to be reduced to 1 day. | ||
| Portugal | 2002.01.01 | Operated by Portabil S.A. Solution implemented bySystor Trondheim AS of Norway. | |||
| Romania | 2008.10.21 | 7-30 | Free | Developed by UTI Systems based on the Porthusimplementation | [22] |
| Slovenia | 2005.??.?? | 5 EUR | 5 EUR is a maximum possible price | ||
| Spain | 2000.??.?? | ||||
| Sweden | 2001.09.01 | 21 | Free | The largest operators formed independent company, SNPAC AB, to procure central database (CRDB) solution. Implementation of CRDB is carried out by Cap Gemini & Oracle. | |
| Turkey | 2008.11.09 | 6 | Free | AVEA and Vodafone hired Gantek to implement central database (CRDB) solution and donated it to Turkish Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. Number Portability Clearinghouse service handled by Telcordia Technologies | |
| United Kingdom | Free | [23] |
[edit]Middle East and Africa
| Country | Implementation date yyyy.mm.dd | Time to port days | Price | Short notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 2008.04.?? | NPC serves the centralized administrative and provisioning role of MNP. Number Portability Clearhouse is handled by Telcordia Technologies, where Giza Systems is the system integrator. | |||
| Israel | 2007.12.03 | 3–4 hours | Free | Service includes landline as well as mobile numbers | [24] |
| Jordan | 2010.06.01 | 1 | 7 JOD | Service is not implemented, but is still planned. TRC started the process in 2005 and released the official bid to implement and operate MNP during September 2009. | [25] |
| Kuwait | 2010.12.31? | The Minister of Telecommunications has stated that the service should be available before the end of 2010. However a number of delays have been reported in the media. | |||
| Nigeria | 2007.??.?? | ||||
| Oman | 2006.08.26 | Implemented as a decentralized solution by Porthus for Nawras, and by Gulf Business Machines/Telcordia for Oman Mobile. | |||
| Saudi Arabia | 2006.07.08 | Managed by the Centralized Clearinghouse Approach, through the NPC (Number Portability Clearinghouse), a product of Telcordia Technologies. The implementer and system integrator is Giza Arabia. | |||
| South Africa | 2006.11.10 | The three operators, Vodacom SA, MTN SA, and Cell C, formed an independent company for the implementation and management of the central solution. After delays, the implementation of this solution was awarded to local company Saab Grintek teamed up with Telcordia Technologies. |
[edit]See also
[edit]References
- ^ Brazil
- ^ Dominican Republic
- ^ Mexico
- ^ Australia
- ^ New Zealand 1
- ^ New Zealand 2
- ^ Hong Kong
- ^ Maxis Telecommunication MNP FAQ
- ^ Celcom Telecommunication MNP FAQ
- ^ Switch to DiGi FAQ
- ^ MNP Malaysia-launched Nationwide in October
- ^ http://pmdpk.com
- ^ http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Regulations/89/Regulation23sep09.pdf
- ^ http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/trai/upload/Regulations/90/Regulation20nov09.pdf
- ^ http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/Number-portability-by-Oct-31/articleshow/6302684.cms
- ^ Czech Republic
- ^ http://telia.dk/mobil/kundeservice/spgogsvar/nummerflytning
- ^ https://www.payngo.dk/prepaid/servlet/ChooseNumber?uid=13125&sid=FC6975CE6CFA00531BE7563A7BB87DD6
- ^ http://www.numpac.fi/index.php?site=127
- ^ Germany
- ^ MNP Germany
- ^ Romania
- ^ United Kingdom
- ^ Phone Number Portability and Its Implementation in Telephone Networks in Israel – FAQ. Israel Ministry of Communications (Hebrew)
- ^ Jordan
- Daniel AJ Sokolov, Problems with VOIP and Convergent Services [1]
- VOIP News, US Number Portability Extends to VOIP Providers [2]
- IDA Singapore, Singapore to Enjoy Full Mobile Number Portability from 13 June [3]
- MNP in INDIA Details, [4]
[edit]External links
- International site with FAQs on Mobile Number Portability (India, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland...)
- FAQs on Mobile Number Portability in the United Kingdom
- FAQs on Mobile Number Portability in India
- Telcordia Joint Venture - Mobile Number Portability Clearing-House
- Ofcom Mobile Number Portability review of the porting process
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