MNP, a service allowing cellular phone subscribers the ability to change their service provider or their network without changing their mobile phone number, was due to be introduced by The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in July 2006. The target date then moved to 1 September, with 18 September now being D-Day.
 
Number portability has the potential to have a hugely negative effect on unprepared Least Cost Routing (LCR) solution providers, who may pass this on to their customers, says Centracell MD, Julian Morelis.
 
However we have been working on our solution for over two years, and can guarantee that none of our existing customers or future customers will be affected financially, continues Morelis.
 
Morelis says this has been achieved by making use of both the broad spectrum of global edge technologies, together with TiTAN Online, a Web-based management application used to administer number portability.
 
LCR systems intelligently analyse differences in the tariffs of the various telephony carriers including Telkom, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C. They take advantage of tariff differences to place any telephone call on the carrier network that provides the lowest cost, taking into account such factors as time of day, call origination and call destination.

Morelis says approximately 60% of local businesses have implemented LCR from a variety of service providers.
 
It has been said that the arrival of MNP is setting the stage for a price and customer war between service providers, and that this competition will benefit the consumer with better customer service, lower contract costs and call rates as service providers fight to retain their customers.
 
Co-operation among operators is a keystone of number portability. This is why Icasa consulted broadly on the development of the framework regulations and promoted the establishment of an industry task group to develop the functional specifications for mobile number portability, which is a key element in implementing number portability, concludes Morelis.