The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) Tuesday announced it would be launching its mobile number portability throughout the sub-region on Monday.
Antigua is not a member of Ectel but has expressed interest in implementing the same.
ECTEL chairman and Dominica’s Information, Science, Telecommunications and Technology Minister, Kelver Darroux, said that the project would be launched in St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica on June 3.
“Mobile number portability enables consumers to keep their current mobile telephone numbers when switching from one mobile telephone operator to another. It means that consumers can focus their decisions on other issues such as quality,,” Darroux said.
He said that the project began in 2015 following a decision by the ECTEL Council of Ministers to implement local number portability for both fixed and mobile phones.
“There were several delays but I am happy to report that we have now reached completion and we are ready for the hard launch on June 3,” he said.
Antigua and Barbuda, which is yet to sign on to ECTEL, but maintains observer status with the sub regional body, last December passed legislation amending the Telecommunications Act of 2018 which will, in essence, gives residents the option of switching between telecommunications service providers without having to change their mobile numbers
In the past, ECTEL has argued that number portability is considered to be a key factor in enhancing competition in a multi-operator environment.
It said that some of its benefits include: elimination of the costs to business and residential customers when they change their numbers; avoiding the tedious process of informing others of this change and lowering the cost of switching service providers.
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Is it because their suing us?
Likely.
No, we are not a member of ECTEL due to the fact that the government owns one of the Telecoms companies -APUA which places us in the awkward position of being regulator and competitor which is incompatible with ECTEL rules.
Noted, maybe this is setting the stage for Government to hand over APUA.
Then there is the spectrum issue. Never a dull moment.
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