Implementing Mobile Number Portability in Africa:
The Kenyan ExperiencePresentation by: Mwende Njiraini
MNP Project ManagerCommunications Commission of Kenya
at:International MNP Implementation and Management Summit
15th – 16th November 2012 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Number Portability Drivers
• Consumer concerns: inconvenience/cost associated with change of number.
• Regulatory tool:– Promote competition in a multi-operator environment– Enhance consumer freedom of choice
• Customer decision to port:– Price– Quality of Service (QoS)– Service Coverage – Retail shop/agency proximity
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Implementation Process
• 1st Public consultation; 2004– Regulations Governing Number Portability– Public Consultation Document on Introduction of Number Po
rtability in Kenya• Responses:
– 1 fixed operator - no favourable porting operator– 2 Mobile operators – unnecessary customer churn– Consumer concerns – lack of tariff transparency of on-net
and off-net • Decision to defer until:
– The market had at least 3 mobile operators – Differential between on-net and off-net tariffs narrowedInternational MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Implementation Process
• 2nd Consultation: Introduction of Service Provider Number Portability (SPNP) in Kenya, 2008
• Right environment created for introduction of MNP services
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
5
The right environment: Regulatory Reform
Post-Regulation
EraUp till 1999
Exclusivity/Monopoly
Era 1999
Partially liberalized
Era 2000-2004
Post exclusivity
Era:Technolog
y Neutrality
2004 to 2008
Post exclusivity
Era:Unified
Licensing 2008 to
date
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Ref: Unified Licensing Framework (ULF)
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The right environment: Unified Licensing Framework
Content Service Providers
Application 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)
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
The right environment: Mobile Termination Rates
• Determination on Interconnection Rates for Mobile Telecommunications Networks - August 2010 – on-net and off-net tariffs narrowed
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Nominal KES. 1st July 2010
1st July 2011
1st July 2012
1st July 2013
Mobile Termination
2.21 1.44 1.15 0.99
MNP Introduction
• International tender: 28th October 2009, the Commission
• Porting Access BV, The Netherlands– Winning bidder on basis of lowest porting charge– Max per port charge = €1.62 =KES 172 ex-VAT– Registered local company: M/s
Port Access Kenya Limited licensed 21st June 2010
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Consultative process: MNP Documentation Development
• Working Groups:• Process Working Group• Technical Working Group• Legal Working Group
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Process Working Group
• Development of Procedures and Guidelines for MNP issued 17th October 2010– Requirements on the Recipient Operator when
taking a porting request
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Technical Working Group
• Technical Guidelines signed 17th December 2010 – Number Portability Scheme: All Call Query (ACQ)
justification • Merits:
– Recipient /originating network determines call routing– Once a number is ported, it can be removed from the
database of the Donor network
• Demerits: – Additional processing capacity – All call querying may result in call set-up delay
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Technical Working GroupAll Call Query (ACQ)
NPDB(Number Portability
Database)
Originating NETWORK
RECIEPIENT
DONER NETWORK 3
12
Dire
ct R
outin
g
Direct Routing or all call query
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Technical Working Group• Tariff transparency: Audible warning for off-net calls• Readiness status monitoring
– MNP Web Interface testing• Web Service testing • System integration • End-to-end tests
• Equipment Installation Status– Equipment procurement and installation status– Implementation of routing databases
• Operational Status– Identification of retail outlets– Training of relevant staff/agents
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Legal Working Group
• MNP Service Agreement signed 17th December 2010• Contract
– Obligations of operators and Porting Access – Indemnity– Confidentiality– Dispute Resolution– Service specifications, etc
• Schedules:– Cost and payments– Procedures and Guidelines for the provision of MNP – Service level agreement– Business Rules and Processes– Project Plan
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Legal Working Group: Project Plan2010 2011
September October November December January Febr
uary
March April
1st Phase Test system availability
Preparation of Go Live
Working Groups: Final Document Review and MeetingsRelease of Guidelines
CEO Signing
of Contract
Training and consultations with Porting Access
2nd phase Operator
End-2-End tests
with system
connection to SMSC
Inter- operator tests
Debugging
Fr
e
e
z
e
d
at
e
M
N
P
G
o
Li
v
eInternational MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Launch
• MNP Service Launch; 1st April 2011– FAQs– Print and electronic
media campaign– Radio and TV
interviews
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Launch
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Airtel : Ni Kuhama
MNP Service Launch
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Telkom Kenya: Mobile Number Portability
MNP Service Launch
Safaricom: Karibu tushererekee
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Launch
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Essar Telecom: Join YU today for Free
MNP Service Launch: Challenges
• Technical hitches among operators in porting and routing
• Timed out requests• Porting request on
‘Awaiting SMS’• Port out requests
unreachable from donor operator
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Audit
• End-to-end tests of SMS delivery to toll free short code 1501
• SMS Queuing tests• Confirmation of automatic routing table updates
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Audit
Point of Failure Link connecting Test ParameterPoint 1 Subscriber to
donor operatorDelivery of SMS 1501 to SMSC
Point 2 Donor Operator to Porting Access
Delivery of SMS 1501 to Porting Access
Point 2
Donor operator Central Database 1501
SMS 1, 2
Point 1
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Audit: Recommendations
• Amending MNP Procedures and Guidelines:– Removal of a specific body text of SMS to 1501– Automated MNP system • Maximum 48 hours porting process• Immediate (maximum 15minutes) database updates
– Enforcement action of the Kenya Information and Communications (Compliance Monitoring, Inspections and Enforcement) Regulations, 2010
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Audit: Recommendations
• Strict compliance with the provisions of MNP framework:– Relevant license conditions– MNP Procedures and Guidelines– MNP Service Agreement
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
MNP Service Audit: Recommendations
• Consumer education– Full disclosure of the terms and
conditions/implications of porting– Step by step porting procedure– Operator customer service staff training
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Number of In-Ports
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Oct-Dec-11 Jan-Mar-12 Apr-June-12 Jul-Sep-12 Oct-Dec-120
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Source: CCK Quarterly Sector Statistics 2nd Quarter of Financial Year 2012/13 (Oct-Dec 2012)
Is MNP a Success? * Mobile Number Portability. Lessons learnt. *Mobile number portability - is it worth it?
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR1 How long does it take to complete the
porting process?Porting times are short (Automated process)
2 Does the customer have to pay to port?
Porting customer does not have to pay for porting
3 Which operator does the customer have to contact to start the porting process?
Customer has to contact only recipient operator only.Donor may seek to dissuade the porting customer or frustrate the porting process
4 Is the availability of MNP well publicized and marketed?
MNP is actively promoted and welcomed
Questions?
[email protected]@cck.go.ke
International MNP Implementation and Management Summit, 15 th – 16th November 2012, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania