Implementing Mobile Number Portability in Africa: A Kenyan Case Study

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Implemen'ng Mobile Number Portability in Africa: A Kenyan Case Study

Presented by: Mwende Njiraini

MNP Project Manager Communica8ons Commission of Kenya

Number Portability Drivers

•  Promote consumer convenience and freedom of choice

•  Regulatory tool: Promote compe88on in a mul8-‐operator environment

Interna8onal MNP Implementa8on and Management Summit, 15th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

MNP Service Introduc'on •  1st Public consulta'on; 2004

–  Regula8ons governing Number Portability –  Public Consulta8on Document on Introduc8on of Number Portability in Kenya

•  Responses: –  1 fixed operator -‐ no favourable por8ng operator –  2 Mobile operators – unnecessary customer churn –  Consumer concerns – lack of tariff transparency of on-‐net and off-‐net

•  Decision to defer un'l: –  The market had at least 3 mobile operators –  Differen8al between on-‐net and off-‐net tariffs narrowed


MNP Service Introduc'on

•  2nd Consulta8on: Introduc8on of Service Provider Number Portability (SPNP) in Kenya, 2008 – Was a cost benefit analysis study necessary? – Methodology and framework –  Implementa8on 8meframe –  Cost recovery proposal – Opera8onal issues: tariff transparency, call processing and por8ng process

– Were specific regula8ons required?


MNP Service Introduc'on: Regulatory Reform

Post-‐Regula8on

Era Up 8ll 1999

Exclusivity/Monopoly

Era 1999

Par8ally liberalized

Era 2000-‐2004

Post exclusivity

Era: Technolog

y Neutrality 2004 to 2008

Post exclusivity

Era: Unified Licensing 2008 to date

5 Interna8onal MNP Implementa8on and Management Summit, 15th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

MNP Service Introduc'on: Unified Licensing Framework

Content Service Providers

Applica8on Service Providers

Network Facility Providers

•  Premium Rate Service Providers

•  Number Portability Service Provider (NPSP)

•  Internet Service Providers (ISP)

•  4 mobile operators (Safaricom, Airtel Networks, Essar Telecoms, Orange)

6 Interna8onal MNP Implementa8on and Management Summit, 15th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

MNP Service Introduc'on: : Mobile Termina'on Rates

•  Determina8on on Interconnec8on Rates for Mobile Telecommunica8ons Networks -‐ August 2010 – on-‐net and off-‐net tariffs narrowed


Nominal KES. 1st July 2010

1st July 2011

1st July 2012

1st July 2013

Mobile Termina8on

2.21 1.44 1.15 0.99

MNP Service Introduc'on: Service Tender and Licensing

•  Interna8onal tender: 28th October 2009, the Commission

•  Por8ng Access BV, The Netherlands – Winning bidder on basis of lowest por8ng charge – Max per port charge = €1.62 =KES 172 ex-‐VAT

– Registered local company: M/s Port Access Kenya Limited licensed 21st June 2010


MNP Service Implementa'on

•  Consulta've process: MNP Documenta8on Development

•  Working Groups: •  Process Working Group •  Technical Working Group •  Legal Working Group


MNP Service Implementa'on: Process Working Group

•  Development of Procedures and Guidelines for MNP issued by CCK on 17th October 2010 – Defini8ons – Por8ng process – Subscriber handling and valida8on – Requirements on the:

•  Recipient Operator •  Central Reference Database •  Donor operator


MNP Service Implementa'on: Legal Working Group

•  MNP Service Agreement signed 17th December 2010 •  Contract

–  Obliga8ons of operators and Por8ng Access –  Indemnity –  Confiden8ality –  Dispute Resolu8on –  Service specifica8ons, etc

•  Schedules: –  Cost and payments –  Procedures and Guidelines for the provision of MNP –  Service level agreement –  Business Rules and Processes –  Project Plan


September October November December

2nd 3rd - 10th

13th – 17th

20th - 24th

27th– 30th

1st – 8th 11th – 15th

18th – 22nd

25th – 29th

1st – 5th 8th – 12th 15th – 19th

22nd – 30th

1st – 10th 13th – 17th

20th – 24th

27th – 31st

Test system availability Working Group Final Document Review and Meetings

Guidelines

Contract

Training and consultations with Porting Access Operator End-2-End tests

with system connection to SMSC and Inter- operator

tests Debugging

Preparation of MNP Go Live Freeze date

Go live

MNP Service Implementa'on: Technical Working Group

•  Technical Guidelines signed 17th December 2010 – Number Portability Scheme: All Call Query (ACQ) jus8fica8on

•  Merits: –  Recipient /origina8ng network determines call rou8ng –  Once a number is ported, it can be removed from the database of the Donor network

•  Demerits: –  Addi8onal processing capacity –  All call querying may result in call set-‐up delay



NPDB(Number Portability

Database)

Originating NETWORK

RECIEPIENT

DONER NETWORK 3

12

Direct Rou

ting

Direct Routing or all call query



•  Tariff transparency: Audible warning for off-‐net calls

•  Readiness status monitoring

– MNP Web Interface tes8ng • Web Service tes8ng •  System integra8on •  End-‐to-‐end tests



•  Readiness status monitoring – Equipment Installa8on Status

•  Equipment procurement and installa8on status •  Implementa8on of rou8ng databases

– Opera8onal Status •  Iden8fica8on of retail outlets •  Training of relevant staff/agents


MNP Service Launch

•  MNP Service Launch; 1st April 2011 – MNP FAQs – Print and electronic media campaign

– Radio and TV interviews


MNP Service Launch: Challenges

•  Technical hitches among operators in por8ng and rou8ng

•  Timed out requests •  Por8ng request on ‘Awai8ng SMS’

•  Port out requests unreachable from donor operator


MNP Service Audit

•  End-‐to-‐end tests of SMS delivery to toll free short code 1501

•  SMS Queuing tests •  Confirma8on of automa8c rou8ng table updates


MNP Service Audit

Point of Failure Link connec'ng Test Parameter Point 1 S u b s c r i b e r t o

donor operator Delivery of SMS 1501 to SMSC

Point 2 Donor Operator to Por8ng Access

Delivery of SMS 1501 to Por8ng Access

Point 2

Donor operator Central Reference Database

(CRDB)

1501

SMS 1, 2

Point 1


MNP Service Audit: Recommenda'ons

•  Amend the MNP Procedures and Guidelines: – Removal of a specific body text of SMS to 1501 – Automated MNP system

• Maximum 48 hours por8ng process •  Immediate (maximum 15minutes) database updates



•  Strict compliance with the provisions of MNP framework: –  Relevant license condi8ons – MNP Procedures and Guidelines – MNP Service Agreement

•  Enforcement ac8on, if necessary: Kenya Informa8on and Communica8ons (Compliance Monitoring, Inspec8ons and Enforcement) Regula8ons, 2010



•  Consumer educa8on – Full disclosure of the terms and condi8ons/implica8ons of por8ng

– Understanding the step by step por8ng procedure

•  Operator customer service staff training


MNP: Where are we now?

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000


Total IN PORTS April 2011 – Oct 2012= 61,280

Is MNP a Success?

* Mobile Number Portability. Lessons learnt. *Mobile number portability -‐ is it worth it? KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR

1 How long does it take to complete the por8ng process?

Por8ng 8mes are short (Automated process)

2 Does the customer have to pay to port?

Por8ng customer does not have to pay for por8ng

3 Which operator does the customer have to contact to start the por8ng process?

Customer has to contact only recipient operator only. Donor may seek to dissuade the por8ng customer or frustrate the por8ng process

4 Is the availability of MNP well publicized and marketed?

MNP is ac8vely promoted and welcomed

Lessons Learnt

•  DIY: Sustainable and cost effec8ve •  Transparency and Accountability: Document! •  Success is qualita8ve rather than quan8ta8ve:

– Quality of Service (QoS) – Customer care – Service Coverage including Retail shop/agency proximity

•  Por8ng is ul8mately a consumer’s decision!


Technology

Implementing Mobile Number Portability in Africa: A Kenyan Case Study