The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) has said it will implement mobile number portability from July. The Commission said this would improve consumer choice and lower prices in the country. According to CCK's director, Charles Njoroge, the infrastructure needed for number portability would be ready by mid year.
The regulator first announced its plans to speed up mobile portability three years ago, according to Kenya’s Daily Nation.
Mobile phone users will then be able to migrate from one network to another without changing their numbers. They would have to inform their operator of choice which network they want to switch to when they need to.
“Therefore from July networks will cease to be identified by their prefixes (numbers) and business will depend on which firm offers the best service”, said Njoroge at a workshop in Nairobi last week.
However, he added that mobile phone users would pay a small administrative fee for the switching service, but he would ensure “that consumers are not overcharged”.
Also, CCK announced the enforcement of a cost study into prices of wholesale and retail mobile voice call terminations, to allow later for issuing new interconnection rates that are aligned with market trends.
The $700,000 study, conducted by global telecoms technology and media consultant Analysys Mason, required all mobile service providers in the country to submit the requested data by 7 May 2010. The final report will be presented on 18 June 2010.
Kenya currently has four mobile service providers: Zain, Orange, Safaricom and Yu.
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