The National Communications Authority (NCA) has indicated that it is diligently monitoring the porting process to ensure that the rules governing the process are strictly followed by network operators. The move is to ensure that the process which is meant to enhance competition and give mobile subscribers choice and freedom to move from one network to the other, is serving the public interest as intended. There are some pockets of reports that some of the networks are not willing to release the numbers of their customers who want to port, a process which is unacceptable under the rules governing the MNP process. But the NCA has asked the public to confront it with its problems and inquiries during or after a porting process for the necessary action. About the number of people who have ported so far, the NCA said up to 7,200 mobile phone subscribers had ported their numbers from one network to the other since the implementation of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) barely 11 days ago. It is, however, not clear which of the five operators; MTN, tiGO, Vodafone, Airtel and Expresso, is gaining or losing. The average time for the porting process has been put at less than four hours and 17 minutes which is way within the 24 hours stipulated period for porting from one network to the other while the fastest porting time recorded in the country was one minute and 31 seconds. This, according to the industry regulator was an indication of a successful porting process. The porting system was introduced into the sector as part of moves by the Ministry of Communications to increase competition within the telecom sector and also to offer subscribers the choice to decide which network best met their aspirations and satisfaction in terms of service and network quality as well as tariffs per call. Mr Mawuko Dzormelo, Director of Corporate and Consumer Affairs, told the Daily Graphic that some challenges have been detected and the regulator together with the players in the industry and Porting Access, the company contracted to do the porting, were in discussions constantly to iron out such challenges. He said the exercise was not intended to make any of the players worse off, but to introduce increased competition within the sector to enable both the network operators and their customers to have their value for money. “We are very satisfied with the process so far and we only hope that the trend, even if, it does not improve, will stay same”, he added. Source Daily Graphic/Ghana