MNP:Nigerians not happy with network operator

On April 22, Mobile Number Portability (MNP), will be three years old after its epic launch in Lagos that ushered in the most creative lyrics: ‘I don port o’. OLABISI OLALEYE in this write-up x-rays the gainers and losers of porting as well as the impact on Nigerians. 
Three years down the line, mobile number portability (MNP), tried to change the face of telecommunications via subscribers migration to other networks and allowing telecom operators to be at alert. However, to whom much is given, much is expected. In spite of the documented gainers and losers in MNP, Nigerians still believe that there is still more to do in the area of quality of service (QoS), and uninterrupted data.
While applauding the telecoms regulator for its steadfastness, Nigerian subscribers appeal for better service delivery, while saying that they may still port to other newer networks since they are yet to be satisfied with the current services handed down by telecoms operators.
MNP enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.
However, the reality on ground negates that of the data recently released by the telecoms umpire, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on its website.
According to industry critics, the idea of porting is to increase efficiency and competition but most of these operators still do business as usual with quality of service (Qos), still struggling to be better and many telcos are striving to meet up with key performance indicator (KPI).
Already, the industry statistics for February 2015 to January 2016 revealed that subscribers who ported out of MTN Nigeria and Airtel are higher given the data as 8,430 (January 2016),10,739 (Dec, 2015), 10,073 (Nov 2015), 11,414(Oct, 2015) and 3,409 (May 2013) as against Airtel Nigeria 4,396 (Jan), 3,188(Dec), 3,086 (Nov), 3,056 (Oct) and 1,190 (May 2013), respectively.
Although subscribers who ported out of Globacom and Etisalat Nigeria are not many going by NCC’s statistics. Etisalat recorded 976 (Jan),1,739(Dec 2015),1,431(Nov),1,241(Oct) and 768 (May), while the Second National Carrier, Globacom also recorded 1, 065 (Jan), 2,092 (Dec), 2,377(Nov),1,703 (Oct) and 1,646 (May 2015), respectively.
The beauty of MNP is to bring new dimension to the competition in the industry. And in a gregarious way, all network operators will have to work harder to earn the trust of subscribers, because they will now have choices.