By: Staff Writer
February 24, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is planning to allow number portability from June 2025, according to a statement on the proceedings of a Ministerial Consultative Committee on Digital Economic Affairs held at the parliament.
The Consultative Committee meeting was chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “The Committee also discussed the possibility of mobile phone users to regain the same mobile phone number they used when changing their mobile phone network operator, and in response, the officials said that this facility will be implemented from next June,” the statement said.
Number portability allows a subscriber to switch networks using the same number.Though there has been talk of allowing number portability for many years, it has not happened.Number portability allows greater competition which and can impact the larger players.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is receiving queries from the public regarding the implementation of Number Portability (NP) service. The Commission has taken the following steps to implement NP service, TRC said in a statement in September last year
Initially, the Commission held discussions with the operators and made a plan to implement the NP service.A Public Consultation Paper was published in 2021, and the views of all relevant stakeholders were obtained, it added. .
The appropriate technical model was then decided in consultation with the telecom operators. A company called Lanka Number Portability Services (Guarantee) Limited (LNPS) was formed with the participation of all fixed and mobile operators for the operation and administration of the NP service, TRCSL disclosed. .
TRCSL granted the licence required for the operation of NP service to LNPS.The approval of the Attorney General’s Department has been granted for NP Rules and Guidelines, which were prepared in coordination with Telecom Operators.
LNPS initiated the procurement process to select a suitable entity to provide the technical system and the technical evaluation has been completed. TRCSL has been informed that the financial evaluation is being done and it can be completed by January 2025.
Upon completion of the entire procurement process, the LNPS will select a suitable equipment supplier and complete the installation of the system. It is expected to commence the provision of NP service thereafter.ut added.
However Sri Lanka’s telecommunications regulator has ruled out the implementation of the Mobile phone Number Portability (MNP) which would have allowed subscribers to switch networks while using the same number in November 2020.
The proposal has been rejected due to the huge cost involved (in its implementation). Former Director General of Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) Anusha Palpita at that time said at least US$96 million investment is needed to implement this service with the return on investment very low in a small mobile phone market such as Sri Lanka.
He added that such a huge investment should be made by local mobile telecom operators and it will be more prudent for them to use that money in providing a better service to their customers.
Mr. Palpita warned that if they go ahead with the plan to introduce MNP, local telecom operators would pass the huge cost incurred by them on to customers.
Those who are ‘confined to a specific network, simply because they want to keep the same number and not because of specific advantages from that network would be able to switch to a better network if this change is implemented.
