The Mobile Number Portability
service guarantees freedom for telecoms subscribers.
service guarantees freedom for telecoms subscribers.
In a bid to deepen competition and
force mobile phone operators to provide better service to their customers, the Nigerian Communications
Commission, NCC, on Monday launched the Nigerian Mobile Number
Portability service to guarantee freedom for telecoms subscribers.
force mobile phone operators to provide better service to their customers, the Nigerian Communications
Commission, NCC, on Monday launched the Nigerian Mobile Number
Portability service to guarantee freedom for telecoms subscribers.
Here are 15 things you need to understand how the service can
better work for you:
better work for you:
1. MNP allows
subscribers to migrate from one mobile service provider to another without
changing their mobile phone number. It empowers subscribers to terminate their
relationship with their current network service provider if they are
dissatisfied with the quality of services provided.
subscribers to migrate from one mobile service provider to another without
changing their mobile phone number. It empowers subscribers to terminate their
relationship with their current network service provider if they are
dissatisfied with the quality of services provided.
2. The service is provided by all GSM mobile
operators in Nigeria- MTN,GLOBACOM, ETISALAT, and AIRTEL– free of charge. This, however, does not apply
to Fixed Number Portability, FNP, or any other form of number or service
portability.
operators in Nigeria- MTN,GLOBACOM, ETISALAT, and AIRTEL– free of charge. This, however, does not apply
to Fixed Number Portability, FNP, or any other form of number or service
portability.
3. All mobile
phone users, no matter the type of your subscription or plan – pre‐paid/pay-as-you-go,
post‐paid/contract, simple/single number or complex/multi
number – can take advantage of the service. Individual numbers are ported
separately as separate transactions using the same procedure as for a
single number account except that the numbers may share the same porting
request form.
phone users, no matter the type of your subscription or plan – pre‐paid/pay-as-you-go,
post‐paid/contract, simple/single number or complex/multi
number – can take advantage of the service. Individual numbers are ported
separately as separate transactions using the same procedure as for a
single number account except that the numbers may share the same porting
request form.
4.Subscribers must visit the customer care
office, retail shop or outlet of their chosen new service provider to request
to port their number. Porting cannot be done via telephone calls, text
messages, online or other electronic means. Deferred or delayed porting is not
permitted. Only real-time porting of numbers is allowed.
office, retail shop or outlet of their chosen new service provider to request
to port their number. Porting cannot be done via telephone calls, text
messages, online or other electronic means. Deferred or delayed porting is not
permitted. Only real-time porting of numbers is allowed.
5.You must present valid identification
documents- passport, driver’s license or an official identity card that has
your picture on it- as for proof of identity. A webcam is used to capture your
image in the absence of proper identification documents.
documents- passport, driver’s license or an official identity card that has
your picture on it- as for proof of identity. A webcam is used to capture your
image in the absence of proper identification documents.
6.Your new network needs to check for credit
worthiness to ensure that the request to port a number or numbers is not
malicious.
worthiness to ensure that the request to port a number or numbers is not
malicious.
7. To port
your number, you would be asked to complete a Port Request Form. You would then
be asked to send a text message with the word “PORT” to a short code “3232”.
Porting is completed within 48 hours.
your number, you would be asked to complete a Port Request Form. You would then
be asked to send a text message with the word “PORT” to a short code “3232”.
Porting is completed within 48 hours.
8. A new SIM
card is issued every time you port your number to a new service provider. Your
old SIM card ceases to be useful once the porting process has been completed.
card is issued every time you port your number to a new service provider. Your
old SIM card ceases to be useful once the porting process has been completed.
9. Subscribers
to any network can port at any time and as many times as they like in a given
year. However, porting to a third operator or back to your original operator is
restricted within 90 days of a previous port. You would need to follow the same
procedure each time you decide to port your number or return to your previous
service provider.
to any network can port at any time and as many times as they like in a given
year. However, porting to a third operator or back to your original operator is
restricted within 90 days of a previous port. You would need to follow the same
procedure each time you decide to port your number or return to your previous
service provider.
10. Information
on the progress of your porting request is sent via SMS. You can change your
mind at any time before you receive confirmation SMS is sent. Cancellation of
porting request or porting process is not acceptable once you receive
confirmation.
on the progress of your porting request is sent via SMS. You can change your
mind at any time before you receive confirmation SMS is sent. Cancellation of
porting request or porting process is not acceptable once you receive
confirmation.
11. Service
from the old service network operator may be lost within an hour of
notification by SMS of completion of porting request.
from the old service network operator may be lost within an hour of
notification by SMS of completion of porting request.
12. Your call
charges may change to reflect the tariffs of the new network operator.
charges may change to reflect the tariffs of the new network operator.
13. Voicemail,
SMS, MMS and ancillary services would need to be reset with the new service
provider. Messages sent to you prior to porting may be lost.
SMS, MMS and ancillary services would need to be reset with the new service
provider. Messages sent to you prior to porting may be lost.
14. Pre‐paid subscribers
cannot take outstanding credits while switching to the new service providers.
cannot take outstanding credits while switching to the new service providers.
15. Post‐paid
subscribers must settle outstanding bills to their previous service provider,
including any early termination fees, before the porting process can commence.
A final bill for usage up to the time the number is ported would be sent to the
new operator.
subscribers must settle outstanding bills to their previous service provider,
including any early termination fees, before the porting process can commence.
A final bill for usage up to the time the number is ported would be sent to the
new operator.
