N Bulbulia: Opening of Mobile Number Portability

28 June 2006

Parish Mashile, Chairperson
Councillors: N Bulbulia, Dr T Cohen, ZR Masiza, M Mohlala, L Mtimde, MM
Zokwe,

Introduction

Good morning and welcome to this joint press briefing by Independent
Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and the mobile operators. The
team today is myself, as Chairperson of the Number Portability Committee and
representing Vodacom, Mthobi Tyamzashe, Cell C, Mike Falconer, MTN Elize van
der Walt.

I would also like to welcome the Chairperson of ICASA, Clr Mashile, who sits
with me on this committee as well as the ICASA staff primarily responsible for
this project, they are Ms Nomvuyiso Batyi, Mr Harrish Kasseepursad, Mr Mihloti
Baloyi, Mr Amos Hlabioa, Mr Tana Kekana, Mr Mpilo Ngxingo, Ms Thenjiwe Dube and
in his absence to thank Mr John Horrocks our international consultant for his
support and assistance. I would also like to thank the stakeholders from the
sector who participated in the process.

A further note of thanks to Josias Mathibe from our communications section
for his assistance.

Section 89 (1) (a) of the Telecommunications Act (103 of 1996 as amended),
obliges that the authority and license operators introduce number portability.
This we hope will provide wider choice for consumers and enhance competition
within the mobile telecommunications market. The new Electronic Communications
Act (Act no 36 of 2005) also carries similar obligations in terms of section
68.

Number portability in simple terms is a process where a subscriber whether
prepaid or postpaid has the ability to move to another operator whilst
retaining the number. We have seen media reports on the imminent arrival of
number portability.

Consultation with stakeholders on this process began towards the end of
2003.

Draft number portability regulations were published on 4 June 2004 in
Government Gazette Number 26438. The final regulations incorporating the
functional specifications (FS) were published on 30 September 2005 in
Government Gazette Number 28091.The FS is a set of rules drafted by the
authority in a consultative process with the operators for the management and
performance of mobile number portability (MNP).

The three mobile operators have been proactive throughout the process and
established a mobile operator�s forum and developed the ordering system
specification (OSS) in terms of the regulations. The latter is a set of
technical procedures for the actual implementation of MNP. In this regard it
needs to be noted that number portability is but one of the processes where the
operators have to work in close collaboration with each other to make it work.
Accordingly the authority would like to commend the operators for their
co-operation to date.

Certainly the process would not be if it were not for their tireless
commitment.

The technical and operational implementation of mobile number portability I
would be remiss if I did not shed light on the difficulties that operators
experienced along the way. As you may be aware the target date for practical
implementation of number portability was June 2006.

A request was made by the operators for the June date to be moved due to the
arduous tender process the y went through to select the most suitable vendor
with the requisite experience to implement MNP. In addition they had to
consider technical and further cost implications which could affect the
consumer. In considering this request the authority was mindful of the fact
that the process is highly technical in practice and unprecedented in South
Africa. Furthermore that although all parties envisage a seamless process,
experiences in Europe have shown that a big bang approach could have unintended
consequences and dash consumer confidence in the entire process.

Number portability in practice

We remind all that number portability will also apply to fixed line
operators currently Telkom and the SNO and that processes are at an advanced
stage to see that through later. Of course their co-operation with regard to
mobile number portability is also required, e.g. for call termination on their
networks where the number is ported or is in that process.

Consumer education and awareness

The authority will ensure that the rights of the consumer are protected in
full during the number portability process. To this end the authority will
embark on a specific process to inform and educate members of the public on the
process of porting. We are pleased that mobile operators will do the same.
Details in that regard will be announced in due course.

The mobile operators and their service providers are bound by a code of
practice to guide their implementation of number portability. The code will
deal with among others, marketing and sales practices and communications with
consumers who request number portability and among themselves.

Before I invite questions from the floor, I would like to thank the ICASA
committee that I have chaired throughout this process and to congratulate them
on a job well done. To also thank the stakeholders and operators for the manner
in which we engaged each other and in their commitment to this process and to
develop best practice in this regard. In conclusion, the 18 September 2006 is
the agreed upon date for the implementation of mobile portability needless to
say we are all looking forward to it! We are optimistic that the intended
benefit of number portability for consumer choice and improved quality of
service will be realised.

Thank you!

Issued by: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
(ICASA)
28 June 2006
Source: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (http://www.icasa.org.za/)