By Kunle Azeez
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. The number of subscribers porting their telephone lines also continued the upward swing in 2014. As at January last year, the number of ported lines were 6,880; 7,080 in February; 13,383 in March; 14,183 in April; 9,365 in May; 10,325 in June and July, 2014, the figure stood at 11,110. By August 2014, the total number of monthly-ported telephone lines reached was 13,878; 18,980 in September; 16,697 in October; 13,578 in November; and 10,539 in December.
By last January, the monthly ported lines stood at 14,330; 14,801 in February; 14,718 in March; 15,357 in April and in May, the figure stood at 18,071. Meanwhile, of the outgoing 18,071 ported telephone lines in May, MTN Nigeria recorded the highest number – 18,071 lines. Airtel followed this with 3,316 ported lines; Globacom and Etisalat came third and forth in outgoing lines standing at 3,253 and 1,989 respectively. On the gainer’s chart or incoming ported lines, Etisalat topped the table with 12,252 lines, the highest monthly gains so far by any operator since the NCC launched the MNP scheme in 2013.
Next to Etisalat was Airtel, which gained 4,161 incoming ported lines while Globacom came third with 1,065 ported lines. MTN with the lowest gained numbers of 657. Analysts said that the major factor driving the decision of subscribers to port from network to another is the quality of service delivery provided by the receiving network. The NCC has set a strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) QoS for telecoms operators and has continued to sanction operators for not meeting the QoS parameters. As such, the Commission said that the NNP scheme would also boost competition among telecoms operators on the provision of quality of service, while also providing wider choices for the subscribers. Public Affairs Director, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, had reiterated that MNP is a need-based valueadded service for willing subscribers. “MNP is not a compulsory service that people must subscribe to. If a subscriber sees a need for it, he or she may switch from his or her current network to another and if not, he or she remains on its current network.
“So, you don’t expect a surge in MNP uptake since it is based on the decision of the subscribers to either port or not to port. Yet, I believe we are having impressive uptake, coming mostly from individuals who have seen a need to migrate. The beauty of porting services is freedom of choices,” Ojobo said. Meanwhile, the NCC report also showed the current positions of the telecoms operators, regarding their shares of the 146.5 million active telecoms subscriber base in the country.
http://newtelegraphonline.com/nigerias-ported-phone-lines-rise-to-295930/
