Ratio Magazine :: The Inside Track to East Africa’s Economies - Kenya: Press Releases: Safaricom Seeks Regulatory Intervention over Porting Anomalies

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Kenya: Press Releases: Safaricom Seeks Regulatory Intervention over Porting Anomalies

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

Nairobi, 12 April 2011 --- Integrated telecoms operator Safaricom has sounded the alarm over unethical competitor behavior surrounding the ongoing implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) and asked the regulator to intervene to lend credibility to the process.

Speaking 11 days after the launch of MNP in the Kenyan market, Safaricom noted that while the protocol was intended to give subscribers a chance to move to another operator while retaining their original number, its implementation has been beset by a number of breaches by a section of the competition: misinformation of subscribers, circumvention of the porting process and documentation as set out by Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) and agreed to by all operators and deliberate delays in processing applications by subscribers porting into Safaricom.

“Safaricom has invested a material USD10m in installing the technological platform for MNP. On current form, we also stand to benefit most from it. While some teething problems are to be expected, MNP can only succeed in an environment of mutual co-operation, good faith and honesty,” said Safaricom’s Director of Corporate Affairs Nzioka Waita.

Mr Nzioka cited a number of breaches being committed by a competitor in the ongoing implementation of MNP:

Non-disclosure of implications of porting: Subscribers are not being told the implications of porting, including loss of services provided by the previous provider. Those porting out of Safaricom, for instance, should understand that they will lose all Safaricom services like M-PESA, Bonga points, Okoa Jahazi, Sambaza and data services, among others. Safaricom has received several requests to “cool off” (port back) from customers that have ported or are in the process of porting to Airtel. Majority allege that they have not been given any information on porting or its implications by Airtel representatives. This is in contravention of the MNP Guidelines that impose an obligation on the recipient operator to explain porting implications.
Misinformation: Airtel communication can be perceived as deliberately intending to deceive. For instance, the procedure listed on one of its websites (http://www.nikuhama.com/steps-to-move.aspx) advises customers to send the SMS “Hama” or “Port” without first visiting its retail outlet or having the implication of porting explained.
Use of wrong form: Airtel has departed from the standard form agreed to by all operators and annexed in the MNP Guidelines. Particularly, the customer declaration section (where a customer declares that he/she has understood the specific implications of porting) has been omitted.
Delays in processing porting requests into Safaricom/technical deviation: Airtel has failed to comply with the porting window of two working days as agreed by all operators and CCK with respect to Airtel-to-Safaricom port out requests, resulting in delays of up to five days.

“We appeal to the CCK, Porting Access and all operators to ensure that the MNP guidelines as set out by the regulator and agreed by all operators are strictly adhered to. This is the only way this protocol can be of benefit to the Kenyan subscriber. The market should understand that porting is a serious decision by a subscriber and should be treated as such by all operators. It can never be a casual decision, based on incomplete information and done by the roadside at the instigation of commission-hungry agents,” added Mr Waita.

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