World Telecom Labs (WTL) on Monday announced that it has developed Text-To-Change, a vital component of Nigeria’s Mobile Number Portability (MNP) programme.
Text-to-Change shows operators worldwide how customer transfer requests should be started, which has been identified.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek had reported exclusively, that telecom subscribers wishing to migrate from one network to another, under the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regime, are being frustrated by some telecom operators.
Uche Onwudiwe, chief operating officer, Interconnect Clearing House Nigeria Limited. said that subscribers who are interested in porting to another network are being delayed by SMS routing during the porting process.
“The critical area is where subscribers are restricted in the porting access. We are hopeful it will come out better. It is actually meeting the objectives where people can move from one network to another.
“But in the process where people have to send SMS, we are seeing a situation where SMS are not getting through and the responses from the operators are what we are working on to ensure full obligation. We are working with them to clear that process; then the subscribers will experience seamless process.
“When we have done our part; that is, clarifying with the operators, any of them who intentionally frustrates the process shall be taken care of by the NCC,” Onwudiwe explained
Also WTL that will be exhibiting at AfricaCom this week is discussing Text-To-Change as well as launching Easy SMS Hubwhich enables operators in Africa to increase revenues from text messages by setting up their own SMS hubs.
Text-To-Change enables people in Nigeria to text their provider in the first instance to notify their intention to switch to another provider.
This text then sparks a string of actions by the old and new provider to transition both the number and the customer’s account.
Established by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the MNP initiative enables people to keep their existing mobile numbers when they switch to a different mobile operator.
The ability to port numbers and Text To Changemake it more attractive for consumers to switch providers increasing competition and leading to reduced prices and improved service levels.
WTL was appointed by ICN, one of Nigeria’s interconnect exchange carriers which is leading the MNP initiative, to develop the Text To Change service.
ICN’s project leader for MNP, Johnson Farotimi said: “Mobile Number Portability has been a long time coming in Nigeria. It is a large, complex and very high profile initiative which must succeed.
Giving Nigerians the ability to request porting via text messages rather than some long-winded, bureaucratic system is one of the founding conditions of the MNP scheme. Ease and convenience for the subscriber are vital to the success of the project.
WTL were brought into the project late in the day but their contribution was enormous. The team at WTL are extremely knowledgeable and without their experience and expertise this project would not have been completed so smoothly”.
ICN is a long-term customer of WTL’s and currently uses its specialist high capacity voice switching equipment.
Text To Change messages will pass through ICN’s existing WTL SoIP SS7 Gateway which connects to all the legacy mobile switches used by Nigeria’s principal operators.
Leigh Smith, managing director, WTL, said “It is now easier for people in Nigeria to switch carriers than in any other country I have visited. This was a tricky project but our engineers worked hard to develop a system which is reliable. We are always happy to turn our hand to new challenges like this. Text To Change is also available to operators outside Nigeria and should be on the radar of regulators around the world”.