fees to change service providers. Other consumers may be locked-in because the m-services they like are offered by the service provider only to its own customers (see the Safaricom and M-Pesa situation discussed earlier). This makes it difficult for consumers to move their data and information from one provider to another. Such practices raise consumer-protection and competition concerns. While it is incumbent on consumers to make informed decisions when signing up with a service provider, it is equally important that consumers be able to switch providers. Responding to these concerns, the EU modified its Universal Service Directive in 2009 to require member states to limit customer contracts to no more than 24 months and to direct operators also to offer 12-month contracts.45 5.3.6.5 Number portability Mobile telephony has re-defined connectedness to the point that calling a person is really calling a number, because people and businesses become closely associated with their phone numbers. Number portability, therefore, is a huge consumer and competition consideration in providing consumer choice. Porting allows more consumer choice and enables individuals to move their number together with any m-services and apps that are tagged onto that number.5.3.6.6 Standards and interoperability From traditional mobile voice services to m-health, m-education, m-agriculture, m-payments, m-investment and m-donations, it is clear that we are now in the era of m-everything! The ability to interoperate and interconnect devices so they can “speak” to one another continues to herald numerous possibilities.46 The proliferation of platforms, applications and services that cater to specific devices, however, can create isolated islands of device ecosystems in the absence of full interoperability across multiple operating systems.47 There is a critical need to lift traditional barriers that operators have imposed to further their proprietary technologies and to lock in commercial gain. Further, the adoption of common standards and interoperability sets the stage for scaling and monetization of m-services and apps, allowing for cheaper access, allocation of benefits to broader segments of the population, and achievement of development goals. One of the critical pillars in driving a digital agenda is improved standard-setting procedures and increased interoperability. Legacy type-approval processes need to be reviewed in order to assure an expanded space for mutual recognition through type acceptance. European public authorities are particularly active in promoting interoperability.48 Showing a commitment to this critical success factor, the Digital Agenda for Europe requires that all new IT devices, applications, data repositories and services interact seamlessly anywhere – just like the Internet.49 The Digital Agenda identifies improved standard-setting procedures and increased interoperability as the keys to success. Many governments and regulators promote interoperability and open systems by enforcing anti-trust regulations and adopting open-source software and open standards in their own digital activities.50 French legislation, for example, mandates that when digital content is protected by proprietary digital rights management technologies, providers must give other software and hardware developers access to the necessary technical documentation to make their systems interoperable. For this reason, Apple’s iTunes is under scrutiny both in France and elsewhere in the EU.51 The idea of fostering interoperability can be controversial, because it seemingly proposes cooperation among competitors.52 It suggests trade-offs that must be faced on the road to universal interoperability.53 Indeed, some forms of interoperability have often received equivocal support, leading to uncertainty about the strength of governments’ commitments to fostering competitiveness in the digital ecosystem and the aim of growing the “knowledge economy.” 54 In June 2014, Tanzanian MNOs became the first in Africa to enter into an interoperable mobile money pact.55 This was achieved following months of negotiation and regulatory facilitation to reach “interconnection” arrangements akin to those typically used for voice calling and text messaging. This agreement will enable customers to send and receive money across networks, and the e-money will go directly to the respective subscribers’ e-wallet accounts.136 Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2016