Mobile Number Portability: Number of subscribers who switched networks exceeds 100,000

Twelve weeks since its commencement, the National Communications Authority (NCA) says a total of 105,678 mobile phone subscribers in Ghana have ported to other networks under the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) system as at the end of September 2011.

According to the regulator, its analysis of data shows that 41,021 porting requests were completed in the month of September.

“5% were completed in 15 minutes or less; 48% were completed between 15 minutes and 1 hour; 30% were completed between 1 and 4 hours; 16% were completed between 4 and 24 hours; 1% were completed in more than 24 hours,” said the NCA in a statement October 3, 2011.

It adds “The average time to complete a port in September was 3 hours, 7 minutes, a significant reduction from August’s 4 hour, 16 minute average.”

About 70,000 mobile phone subscribers switched networks in August 2011, Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communication, said in a news conference in Accra October 3, 2011.

After the expiration of their 30-day mandatory waiting period, 2,477 subscribers elected to port back to their previous service providers, whilst 303 subscribers ported to a third network. This means that the vast majority of customers who have ported so far remain satisfied with their decision to change providers, the NCA said.

By Ekow Quandzie