The promos have caught on like wild fire but beyond the hype, are Nigerians really porting across the GSM networks? AMARACHI EGBEOGU and CHALYA DUL find out
The turf war among the country’s Global System of Mobile communications (GSM) service providers has effectively sifted to the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) terrain since the launch of the service in April.
Simply put, the MNP is a process that allows subscribers to migrate from one network to another, in search of quality service, while still retaining their original phone numbers, regardless of the network the subscriber chooses to migrate to.
At the launch of the system on April 22, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said his network had been upgraded to accommodate over 25 million subscribers from that day.
Ogunsanya stated: “We are prepared to port 100 percent of our current 25 million subscribers and we have spent $1.5 billion on the expansion of our network across the federation.We have equally completed our 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) trial and have rolled out High Definition (HD) voice in Nigeria.”
Similarly, Corporate Services Executive at MTN, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, said the company had put systems in place to make MNP a reality for mobile phone users in Nigeria eager to join MTN.
“We have made all the necessary investments in infrastructure and manpower to make MNP a reality and we are confident of today's hitch-free rollout,” Goodluck said.
Likewise, Globacom’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohammed Jameel, said the company‘s technical and operational teams had prepared well to ensure that the network was in a perfect state of readiness to facilitate a smooth transition for those who would be interested in porting on the Glo network.
“We have put in place a functional number portability gateway (NPG) and we have ensured all-call query signal transport point (STP) system which are major technical requirements for the successful take-off of mobile number portability on any network,” he said.
Etisalat, the fourth entrant into the GSM market in Nigeria, also said it was ready for the launch.
Matching their words with action, these GSM companies have each launched massive advertisement campaign in the electronic and print media, wooing subscribers to ditch their competitors and port to their network.
Two months into the porting phenomenon though, it appears that subscribers have seen through the hype and are not keen on porting away from their original service providers to their competitors. All the network providers and indeed the NCC declined to give LEADERSHIP WEEKEND any statistical data to back up their common claim that Nigerians are really porting in droves.
The reality, however, according to investigations by LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, is that subscribers have not embraced the MNP as envisaged either by the NCC or the services providers for a number of reasons, including the premise that none of the telecoms firms actually has better services in comparison to the rest.
Asked why he had not ported to another network, Mr. Felix Arome, an architect, said, “I will rather stick to my existing network because sincerely all the networks have issues.”
“Yes I can port my network but I have some reservations about it" Engineer Ponsah Miri said.
“It’s a strenuous process because you have to go to the customer service care unit of the operator, present full identification, then send a text "PORT to 3232", wait for about 48 hours to get confirmation from your previous operator, who will in turn have to do some billings before you leave their network, which might last more than the actual 48 hours under which the whole thing should have been done with,” he explained.
However, Ponsah believed that the country was ripe for the MNP system: “The positives here include the premise that number portability will make network operators sit up and improve quality of voice and data services because they are fully aware that if their network is poor or customers are not enjoying their services, you can easily migrate to another with the same number at no cost at all.”
But Bukky Akintola, a professional model, believed the porting idea is pointless.
“There is no point porting because I have all the available GSM networks - MTN, Glo, Etisalat and Airtel - and they all have the same problems. I will rather carry four phones with me than port,” she concluded.
On the contrary, Deji Ogunade a business man was of the opinion that “porting is a great idea and I am willing to embrace it. Yes I will port. Take for instance if my service provider (name withheld) messes me up or I don't enjoy quality service I can easily migrate to (mentioned his destination service provide; name withheld by LEADERSHIP WEEKEND) whilst retaining my only line but a different operator" he said.
Yilchit Barde a corps member stated: “All networks in Nigeria are pretty much the same in terms of services and network clarity. I haven't ported and I doubt if I would because I use Glo and MTN. I don't have any reason to switch; they are all the same. To me it's just a matter of juggling in their rates.”
Shola Gabriel, a lawyer, insisted that he would rather get another Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) pack than port out of his current service provider’s network.
"I will rather get another line like Etisalat which costs N200 because it takes 90 days to switch back to the same network one uses now if you happen to leave it for another network and you become disenchanted with that new network too,” Shola said.
Nuhu Iliya who does not also plan to port because he has ''a good understanding'' of his current network despite the fact that the network provider does not give him 100% satisfaction
“I really don't think changing network but keeping the same number makes sense," Nuhu stressed.
Akeem Sulaimon shared Nuhu’s sentiments:
“No I won't port because none of the networks is excellent; they all have their good and bad moments. For some days now Airtel has been having terrible network service so I've been using my MTN but yesterday my MTN was reading SOS so I had to stick to Airtel".
A secondary school teacher, Juliet Ibrahim, said: “I don't plan to porting because I've been with (mentioned her network; name withheld by LEADERSHIP WEEKEND) since 2004 and I don't have problems with them and I enjoy their service. At times they do have network problems but its OK, we all have obstacles and I may even face worse challenges if I switch" Ibrahim explained.
However, Nabasu Bléssing, a civil servant, said she had not decided to port because she still needed more time to assess the MNP system:
"I wouldn't port for now because I don't yet trust any network. They are all the same for now. I would only port after I am convinced that it can stand the test of time.”
Similarly, Khadijat Rufus, a writer and research analyst thinks that the MNP is a good idea, which “needs more time.”
Her words: “Everything in Nigeria needs time. Like the PHCN metre card system took a while before it gained traction. It will be the same with this porting system. I don't think the Nigerian networks have facilities in place for the porting idea. If I don't like the network I have ported to I will have to wait for 90days. Instead of wasting their adverts they should be more practical about how it is done. Besides, all the network in Nigeria have their challenges so I don't think I will port, at least for now.”
Number Portability: How It Works
Your SIM must be active.
You must be able to provide the serial number of your SIM card and you must have registered the active SIM card.
Visit the office of the new network of your choice to fill an MNP request form.
New carrier will confirm your identity through a valid means (e.g. international passport, driver’s licence, National Identity Card) as it appears in the SIM registration database and then make a porting request to your current carrier through the porting clearinghouse.
Once a valid porting request has been made, the old carrier cannot refuse to port a number.
You can only make a change in 90 days.
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