Moldova’s National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) has set the terms for the implementation of mobile and fixed number portability (MNP and FNP) in the country. Under the plan, the centralised database (CDB) administrator and service providers will develop the technical and commercial conditions for number portability implementation, to be approved by ANRCETI before 25 December 2012. Fixed and mobile telephony operators will subsequently be required to sign contracts with the CDB administrator and make the required changes in their networks to enable the launch of MNP and FNP on 1 May 2013 and 31 July 2013, respectively.

Source: TeleGeography.

Ghana’s National Communication Authority (NCA) has published a report to coincide with the first anniversary of the introduction of mobile number portability (MNP) in the country. By 6 July some 370,107 mobile numbers had ported successfully, representing 1.6% of the total active mobile numbers in the market. The watchdog says that such a figure is reasonably comparable to markets in which MNP is considered successful. Tigo and Vodafone were the biggest winners, recording net gains of 68,000 and 44,000 respectively, while Airtel (6,500 subscribers) and Glo (7,600) also received a boost from MNP. The market leader by subscribers, MTN, was the big loser, shedding a net 125,000 customers to rival networks. Meanwhile, minor player Expresso lost 400 subscribers.

Source: TeleGeography.

France’s telecoms industry regulator Arcep has published its findings on the mobile communications market in France and its overseas territories for the period ended 31 March 2012, showing strong growth since the arrival of Iliad’s Free Mobile start-up in January. The watchdog reported that the total number of mobile service customers in metropolitan France and the overseas territories stood at 69.5 million, thanks to net additions of close to 900,000 SIMs in the quarter, a cellular penetration of 106.5% of the national population. Net growth in Q1 2012 far outstripped the average for the preceding five years (of 300,000 SIMs) it said, as Free Mobile made an instant impact on the mainland. Arcep added that in January-March the total number of gross sales (7.8 million) and account cancellations (6.9 million) both reached ‘exceptionally high levels’ in the past quarter.

Arcep said that the total number of mobile customers in mainland France stood at 66.8 million at the end of March 2012, up 6.1% on the same time in 2011, of which roughly three quarters (74%) were on monthly subscriptions. The increase in the number of flat rate plans was much stronger in the first quarter of 2012 it said – rising by 1.6 million in January-March, compared to 900,000 in 4Q11. Metropolitan France mobile network operators (MNOs) Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange France and SFR collectively reported a total 59.4 million mobile subscribers, up 940,000 quarter-on quarter. Meanwhile, the number of mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) customers decreased by around 90,000 to 7.5 million by the end of March 2012 – equivalent to 11.15% of the market, down from 11.43% three months earlier. The use of mobile number portability (MNP) also leapt during the first quarter of the year, with 2.6 million numbers being ported, compared to one million in Q4 2011.

Source: TeleGeography.

Prof John Nkoma, the director general for the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), says that the government has approved regulations to allow mobile number portability (MNP) in the country. Further, he notes that the TCRA has already put in place the necessary regulations to implement MNP and that a system will hopefully go live within the next twelve months.

Source: TeleGeography.

Nokia has unveiled two new mobile phone models as it continues to accelerate its strategy to connect the next billion consumers to information and the internet. The Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 have been designed to appeal to young, urban consumers who want to experience a fast, affordable online experience.
 
Both devices are perfect for communicating across Facebook, Twitter and social media networks. The internet experience is also smooth thanks to the Nokia Browser. This innovative technology allows users to consume less data by up to 90 percent, by compressing websites in the cloud. Both devices offer direct access to Facebook and Twitter from their home screens. The Nokia 112 also features preloaded eBuddy instant messaging service right out of the box, so users can use popular chat services to keep conversations going 24/7.
 
In common with other Nokia mobile phones, consumers can choose from thousands of apps to download on the Nokia Store. With the upgraded camera, they can now customize their contacts with pictures, and share them with friends via social networks and Bluetooth.
 
Mary T. McDowell, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia, said that today¡¯s mobile phone users want a quick internet experience that allows them to discover great content and share it with their friends ¨C but without being held back by high data costs. The new Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 devices combine browsing, social media, apps, world-class entertainment and long battery life to create a great package for young, urban consumers who want to do it all.
 
The devices all feature a generous 1.8¡å display optimized for a great gaming experience. In the coming months, the Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 will bring free 40 key EA Games, valued at EUR 75 if bought separately, including well known titles like Tetris, Bejeweled, Need for Speed(TM) The Run, Monopoly Here & Now, and SimCity(TM) Deluxe. Consumers will be able to easily access the content by clicking on the Games Gift EA icon on their home screen which will take them to the Nokia Store to download the games. Once they have accessed the offering, they will have 60 days to download the games of their choice, keeping the games forever.
 
Both new phones offer an improved VGA camera for sharp and clear pictures with support for up to 32GB of external memory, enough for more than 6000+ songs or 90,000 pictures. Consumers can tune into their favorite radio stations and share their favorite songs with friends over Bluetooth. The phones have been optimized to provide a long-lasting battery life, with over 10 hours of talk time and nearly a month¡¯s standby, meaning that consumers can stay in-touch and entertained all day long.
 
The Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 are both Dual SIM phones, featuring the benefits of Nokia¡¯s unique and industry leading Easy Swap technology. This enables users to switch between SIMs quickly without having to remove their battery or turn off their phone. The Easy Swap technology can personalize and remember up to five different SIM cards, giving consumers full control over their costs.
 
The Nokia 110 will also be available as single SIM versions - Nokia 111 and Nokia 113, with this last one available in Europe and Eurasia only. The estimated retail price for Nokia 110 and its single SIM versions is about $45 and they are expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2012. The estimated retail price for Nokia 112 is about $49, excluding taxes and subsidies, and is expected to start shipping in the third quarter of 2012.

Source: Wireless Federation.

Jamaica’s lower house has approved amendments to the nation’s telecoms regulation that will give the sector regulator, the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) greater powers. The bill is expected to be considered by the upper house later this week before the governor general gives final approval for the alterations to pass into law. According to local press reports, ICT Minister Phillip Paulwell said that following the implementation of the new legislation, customers could expect to see a ‘massive’ drop in call rates, as the OUR flexes its regulatory muscles. Addressing parliament, Paulwell also suggested that the introduction of number portability (NP) was on the cards, saying: ‘It is full time that I should be able, with a number I have had for 25 years, for example, to take it to another provider and say: this is my number and I want service.’

Once again, the rivalry between the nation’s two remaining cellcos came to the fore, as Digicel – which, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, claimed 82% of mobile subscribers at the end of December 2011 following its controversial takeover of Claro Jamaica – expressed its ‘grave concern’ regarding the overarching powers that the government wishes to invest in the OUR. LIME meanwhile, praised the amendments as a move towards a ‘levelling of the playing field.’

Source: TeleGeography.

Source: TeleGeography.

Source: TeleGeography.

The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) has confirmed that mobile number portability (MNP) was successfully implemented in the country on 1 April 2011, making Kenya the 63rd nation to allow mobile phone users to retain their existing phone numbers when changing service providers. The long-awaited introduction of MNP follows a series of extensive public consultations that took place between 2004 and 2008. In March 2010 Netherlands-based Porting Access was awarded a contract to supply, install, commission and manage the country’s MNP services; those wishing to switch operators while retaining their numbers will pay a one-off fee of KES199.80 (USD2.36). However, Airtel Kenya, the country's second largest cellco by subscribers, has declared its intention to waive the MNP fee for anyone porting their number to its network. Rene Meza, managing director of Airtel Kenya, commented: 'The successful rollout of MNP is a great boost for Kenya's image in the global arena as it confirms the country's status as a technologically savvy nation, especially in the developing world'. Bob Collymore, CEO of market leader Safaricom, commented: 'We are not afraid to lose customers. Other networks have always been after Safaricom subscribers anyway. It is good that consumers now have a choice, I think each network should be left to deal with MNP in its own way'.

CCK director general Charles Njoroge commented: 'The implementation of number portability is expected to deepen the level of competition in the mobile telecommunications market and enhance consumer choice. In the new dispensation, service providers who do not pay attention to quality and good customer service may find it hard to survive. The operators have carried out the necessary tests and we expect the services to kick off without major hitches. There might be a few teething problems at the beginning, but this should be sorted out within the shortest time possible'.

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, in November 2004 the CCK announced that MNP would be introduced on 1 July 2005. The deadline was later pushed back, and in 2007 MNP was postponed indefinitely after the operators complained about the high costs involved in setting up the system. In April 2010 the CCK announced that the country’s four cellcos – Safaricom, Airtel (then Zain), Orange and Essar – would be required to start offering MNP from July that year, a date which was subsequently put back a further six months, to 31 December. In December MNP was delayed once again, until 1 April 2011.

Source: TeleGeography