Switching and number portability

The ability to change service provider easily and efficiently is a key enabler of competition. As barriers to switching are removed, operators compete harder to attract and retain customers. This in turn leads to innovation, and cheaper and better consumer products.

Successful switching involves the creation of simple and transparent processes, capable of clear communication to consumers. Best practice design principles include recipient-led transfers to ensure alignment of operator incentives and consumer outcomes, strong validation measures to help protect against fraud, and use of a central clearinghouse to minimise loss of service and enable faster switching. Efficient switching implementation requires the development of complicated and intertwined regulatory, legal, technical, commercial and operational frameworks and activities.

Cenerva is a world leader in the design and delivery of switching processes in energy and fixed and mobile telecoms markets. We have advised regulators and operators in over 40 countries worldwide. Examples include:

  • Feasibility study and consultation: Market analysis to assess likely impact of introducing Mobile Number Portability to a South Asian country
  • Process design: Re-design and costing to transform the existing UK donor-led mobile switching system.
  • Clearinghouse procurement: Detailed technical assessment of clearinghouse providers for an Asian regulator.
  • Implementation and service launch: Programme management for implementation of a multi-jurisdiction Caribbean Local Number Portability service.

In addition, we have worked on switching implementations in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Haiti, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Kazakhstan…

For more information about our numbering and number portability work please contact us.

For information about regulatory training please see here.