Namibia’s looming mandatory mobile SIM card registration requirements will enable the country to finally implement telecommunications number portability, two years after publishing the regulations, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has said.
Research has already indicated that mobile number portability will increase competition and service levels among operators, as they need to work harder to retain customers who will have the freedom to change providers if they are not satisfied with their current service.
Emilia Nghikembua CRAN CEO said SIM registration will create a comprehensive database of information, which will enable the regulator to effectively regulate the industry in a manner that promotes transparency, encourages competition, implements fair pricing regimes, and ensures a quality of service in the interest of the user.
“It is one step towards harmonising regulations for Namibia to experience regional and international integration. Without the implementation of legislation such as SIM registration, Namibia’s people and the country’s Fintech are vulnerable and at a high risk,” she said.
Nghikembua added that SIM registration regulations, which are in line with international best practice, will also allow the development of some digital services already available and enable technological growth through the development of new services.
“After SIM registration, growth in e-commerce will enable users to manage their businesses and lives better within a safe environment, while knowing that the interception of their data will not be allowed without execution of the relevant procedures as per the legislation,” she said.
In February, Nghikembua told The Brief that delays in the implementation of number portability were being caused by “the finalisation of some of the action items contained in the implementation plan and readiness matrix in respect of some operators. The timeline will be determined once all the steps in the implementation plan and readiness matrix are finalized.”
Although in some jurisdictions number portability is being hampered by legal battles as some companies take exception to the regulations, CRAN previously noted that all Namibian operators have shown their willingness and support to implement number portability, pending the finalisation of all action items in the implementation plan.
According to CRAN, the implementation of number portability is an essential element for market liberalisation and providing the consumer with the right to retain his or her number when changing service providers.
Mobile operator, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has already started a voluntary sim card registration campaign, which will run until the 1st of January 2023, targeting its over 2 million subscribers.
