Implementation of number portability recognised internationally

Malta's efforts to launch an effective and efficient number portability process, which allows telephone users to retain their telephone number when changing from one network operator to another, are being positively recognised internationally, said the Malta Communications Authority.

Since the introduction of number portability there have been over 45,000 mobile telephony portings and over 6,000 fixed telephony subscribers who successfully ported their numbers. This year, the MCA has also issued a complementary decision which regulates the way that operators communicate with subscribers during and after the porting process.

The decision prevents certain anti-competitive tactics from being employed by service providers to the detriment of consumers and the telephony sector in general.

The MCA was recently informed that both the UK and Channel Islands are including concepts from the successful developments in Malta, in their respective number portability implementation.

Prior to 2006, Malta followed a methodical development of the number portability process, which included an interim solution to achieve the best long-term number portability solution, taking into consideration the limited nature of the Maltese market. The MCA decided to develop a mechanism that was different to the mainstream porting solutions adopted by other member states at the time, in order to ensure that Maltese consumers would truly be able to benefit from number portability, while also ensuring that the related costs did not create an undue burden on the service providers. In fact, the average time to port in Europe is eight days whereas in Malta, it takes one day to port a mobile service and five days to port a fixed number.

This was done notwithstanding the risk of facing infringement proceedings from the European Commission for not implementing number portability by May 2004, a deadline which the MCA could not meet without jeopardising the quality of the porting process implemented in Malta.

Today, the decision not to implement number portability hastily is bearing fruit.

A working group consisting of the operators, the MCA and a consultant was set up back in 2004 specifically to contribute to the drafting of the number portability decision which was published in March 2005.

This working group subsequently produced specifications, which are updated periodically, to ensure a robust and cost-effective number portability process which would enhance competition.

This working group still meets when necessary in order to update the various number portability specifications.