It is unlikely the Number Portability Company will reveal figures regarding ported mobile numbers, due to a non-disclosure agreement between it and SA's four mobile operators.
Number Portability Company GM Clive Fagan says he is not at liberty to disclose figures indicating the total number of users who have ported or which operators these users ported to.
"It's akin to asking the central clearing bank how many cheques were cleared from bank XYZ and what their combined value is," he says.
This is despite the fact that regulations governing mobile number portability (MNP) require mobile network operators to disclose a list of ported cellphone numbers on a regular basis.
Thama Kekana, a numbering officer with the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), notes that section 4.9 and 4.10 of the MNP regulations, published in September 2005, stipulate that network operators provide a list of ported numbers through a third party or via the Internet.
"The list shall be updated at least once a day," Kekana adds.
Fagan points out that a list does exist on the Internet where it is possible to establish whether a certain number is ported or not.
ICASA was unable to confirm whether the database fulfils the spirit of disclosure as per MNP regulations, or whether operators have an obligation to regularly provide statistical information on ported numbers.
Operators mum
Attempts to obtain porting figures from the operators also proved unsuccessful.
While Vodacom, MTN and Cell C would not confirm the non-disclosure agreement was in place, they would not provide porting statistics for the period since the implementation of MNP in November 2006.
MTN spokesman Ravin Maharaj says the operator cannot provide the information, as it is in a closed period in the lead up to its March year-end results announcement.
Vodacom's chief communications officer, Dot Field, says that, in principle, Vodacom provides all statistical data in its interim and year-end financial results.
However, Nicholas Maweni, Virgin Mobile's head of corporate affairs, confirms network operators agreed not to individually disclose porting statistics and to focus on enabling subscribers to port freely.
Meanwhile, the Communications Users Association of SA (CUASA) says it will lodge a complaint with ICASA.
CUASA spokesman also Ray Webber questions operators' motives for closing ranks and refusing to disclose porting statistics.
"What are the operators afraid of?"
He says if the number of users who have ported is extremely low, it would give operators who were not initially keen on MNP leverage to be able to show that the process was a waste of their resources. If take-up is higher, it provides the opportunity to brag about the popularity of their products and services, Webber argues.
Share