MNP: Why have WLL/SCO/Fixed Customers been left out
As you may be aware from the numerous articles on this website, MNP (Mobile Number Portability) regime was implemented in Pakistan in March 2007 and this was a first MNP execution in South Asia.
MNP gives the user the advantage of changing their networks while keeping their number (with the code), and thus allows flexibility with respect to tariff plans, services etc.
PTA has been mandated to promote and protect the interests of users of telecom services in Pakistan, by proving them viable alternatives to the users and to “promote a wide range of high quality, efficient, cost effective and competitive telecommunication services throughout Pakistan; and promote rapid modernization of telecommunication services and systemsâ€.
When the Government of Pakistan realized that subscribers were averse to switching networks since they could not retain their numbers, in order to boost competitiveness and establish market conditions, the MNP regime was established under the watchful eye of PTA.
Pakistan MNP Database (Guarantee) Ltd (www.pmdpk.com) is the company which is responsible for MNP implementation in accordance with Mobile Number Portability Regulations 2005, and it was formed in October 2005 and all six cellular operators in Pakistan are members of the company.
With the bulk of the customers on GSM (as per current PTA data, the number of subscribers have increased to 100 million plus), MNP has just focused on mobile service operators.
Given the fact that at least for fixed line numbers, customer have no options other than PTCL and for wireless local loop operators, the bulk of the customers are again on PTCL, with a total subscriber base of approximately 2.76 million subscribers, as per figures provided by PTA, it seems unlikely that MNP for WLL will catch the attention for PTA anytime soon.
Same is the case with SCO (Special communication Organization), that no one can port SCO number to and from any other network in the country.
When we called PMP and asked about any possibilities of taking WLL/LL operators onboard, it said there no such thing in their to-do-list for now. However, one can expect these WLL/LL operators to offer MNP as well, maybe in distant future.
Another factor which will also weigh-in, is the fact that any MNP solution will not be cheap and all relevant stakeholders will need to be convinced that it is cost effective, and that at the end of the day, will actually bring benefit to the customers and that the customers will port WLL numbers.
Unlike its GSM counterparts, the interest of multi-national companies in WLL licenses and the companies has not been very enthusiastic and there are hardly any WLL companies enjoying foreign backing and the much needed, foreign investment (not counting PTCL/Etisalat which is the only dominant service provider proving all kinds of services).
An analyst while commenting over the issue opined that PTCL won’t let this happen, ever. He said that significant market player, PTCL in our case, bears the maximum cost of MNP services â€" so there is no chance that PTCL will even considering listening to any such kind of proposal.
It is matter of fact that many PTCL/WLL customers may want to go to cellular services, especially those who have fixed line in their business offices.
Whether the concerned stakeholders i.e. the regulator & the companies can be convinced to take this next logical step is another question altogether.
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