THAIS MOBILENUMMER BEHOUDEN

Number transferral takes off

Published: 8/12/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Business

Mobile number portability (MNP) is popular with local consumers based on demand the first three days of a pilot project, even though changes are limited to 500 numbers per day at 25 designated service locations in Bangkok.

Thailand has 69 million mobile phone subscribers, 90% of whom are prepaid users.

Initially, each of the five private and state telecom firms - AIS, DTAC, True Move, TOT and CAT Telecom - are limiting MNP to 100 customers per day at five locations in Bangkok.

MNP allows mobile phone customers to switch operators without changing their number.

But customers must stay with the new operator for at least three months before making another change.

Customers are charged 99 baht to transfer their old number to new operators and the switch should be completed within three working days.

Prepaid customers have to register with their old network providers before applying the prescribed application form to their new service provider. Postpaid customers have to ensure they have paid all their fees.

Premon Pinskul, chairman of Clearing House for Number Portability Co, said the company found no technical problems on the first day of operation yesterday after receiving 1,500 MNP requests since Sunday.

The firm will start the evaluation of successful MNP transfers tomorrow, said Mr Premon, who is also the deputy chief financial officer of DTAC.

The clearinghouse was jointly established by the five operators. It plans to provide MNP service for at least 500 numbers per firm per day by Dec 15.

Mobile operators do not expect a significant shift by subscribers from one operator to another as a result of MNP because quality of service and cost are not key differentiators in the market. But industry analysts said MNP is expected to be a big hit in the country based on many surveys that customers, postpaid in particular, want to switch their networks but don't want to change their numbers.

Demand in the first three days indicates some customers really wanted to change their networks, said one analyst.