Uganda doing feasibility study on mobile number portability

Tag : mobile phone tool

Issues that must be examined before MNP can be fully deployedinclude the positions of operators and users and the costimplications, he said.
If Uganda does introduce MNP, it will be the first country in theEast African Community region to do so. Consumer rights lobbyistsin Kenya are pushing for the country's communications commission todo the same.
MNP would keep in check dominant market players who do a disserviceto mobile subscribers by weakening competition, said Jimmy Kiberu,communications manager of HITS Telecom, a fifth Ugandan operatorset to launch by the end of the year.
"It is very hard in a commercial sense for a new operator to enterthis market," Kiberu said in an interview. "I think governmentneeds to support new players by introducing MNP to level the groundso that incumbents and new players compete favorably for the samecustomers."
Those opposed to the introduction of MNP in Uganda worry that theentry of more players in the telecom market could exert downwardpressure on voice charges.
The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.