MTN Ghana has said it was yet to decide on whether to absorb the porting fee of $2.5 per porting on behalf of subscribers who would be porting their numbers from other networks when mobile number portability (MNP) begins from July 1, 2011. Vodafone Ghana was the first to come out and promise that it would absorb the porting fees on behalf of subscribers who would be porting to Vodafone, but MTN Ghana Acting Marketing Officer Clement Ofori Asante told Adom News MTN is still considering a number of factors. “It depends on market conditions and finalizations of overall cost implications on all networks,” he said in response to a questionnaire from Adom News. But an industry analyst said it would not be smart for any operator to want subscribers porting into their network to bear the cost. “That would drive potential customers away” he said. He however believed MTN may have taken a decision to absorb the fees but may not want to make that information public as yet. Meanwhile Mr. Asante said MTN Ghana has special surprises for subscribers on other networks who would be porting their numbers unto MTN when MNP starts. “We have surprises for those subscribers who have been yearning to be on our network all these years and they’d know this when MNP is fully operational,” he said. He said MTN realized however that its nine million plus customers were all valuable, “hence our continued efforts at giving the best value to all customers at all times.” Ahead of the July 1, 2011 launch of MNP, telecom service providers have started giving out some very juicy packages already, including direct and planned low tariffs, double bonuses, and several others. Even though MTN was not one of the operators which championed MNP initially, Mr. Asante said “MTN has undertaken all the pre-tests and is almost prepared even as at today to start porting.” At least one operator, Vodafone has announced that it has an automated MNP system to ensure speeding porting in and out of Vodafone within 15 minutes, depending on how fast the other party works. Mr. Asante did not say whether MTN had an automated MNP system but assured subscribers that MTN was fully committed to the policy requirement of porting within 24 hours. On the issue of public education on MNP he said MTN had started the campaign both internally and externally, adding that it was living up to its mandate to educate key stakeholders including their staff about regulatory policies. Touching on concerns that some operators block numbers of subscribers who port out of their networks, he assured the public that MTN would continue to play fairly towards even customers who port out of MTN to other networks as was consistent with MTN’s core value of integrity. Story by Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona/Adom News/Ghana