MTN Ghana says it is confident of maintaining all of its nine million customers and winning more
customers from other networks, when Mobile Number Portability (MNP) takes off from July 1, 2011.
Acting Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of MTN Ghana, Mr Clement Asante responding to a questionnaire on MNP, said MNP presents an
opportunity for more subscribers to join the number one network in the country, MTN.
He said MTN therefore continues to make significant investments in their network to welcome and accommodate all the new people who
will be joining the network from July 1, 2011.
“We see MNP as a great opportunity for us to expand our services and welcome more people on board the MTN family to enjoy the best in
telecommunication services on Ghana’s number 1 brand,” he said.
Mr Asante hinted that in the next few weeks and throughout the year MTN would be enhancing their value proposition even more to give
their valued customers more reason to choose MTN.
Telecom industry regulator, National Communication Authority (NCA) recently told telecom reporters that MNP will take off on July
1, 2011.
MNP allows mobile phone users to migrate their phone numbers, including the network code, to a different network.
But Mr Asante noted that MTN does not expect any significant migration of phone numbers as a result of MNP, saying that in other jurisdictions MNP triggered very insignificant migration of phone numbers and they do not expect anything different in Ghana.
He observed that several people owned dual and multi SIM cards in Ghana so they were already enjoying the services of different networks
so migration would not be that significant.
Telecom reporters in Ghana have been talking about MNP for over two years now with the NCA, but MTN said that more needs to be done in the area of public education before July 1st.
Mr Asante said MTN’s own internal research indicated that the public knows very little about what MNP is and its implications to them.
He therefore called on the regulator and the media to intensify public education MNP before it begins.
Mr Asante also noted that the NCA’s proposal that people who owed their networks could still port their numbers and made arrangement to
pay their previous network later, could lead to challenges for the industry.
“It is important that we realize that if this is not managed well, the system will impact negatively on the industry,” he said, adding that industry players were still holding discussions with the regulator, the NCA to address the issue.
Mr Asante acknowledged that MNP would give phone users the ability to enjoy the exclusive services and value they had wanted to but couldn’t because they were sitting on another network, adding that MTN had the ability to offer that value and services.
He said MTN had been consistent in offering the best services, widest network coverage and quality, fastest internet, most innovative
and Products and Services designed to meet the needs of the customers.
“We are also the best in Corporate Social Investments and our community improvement projects have received many awards - MTN also provides the best value on the MTN Zone,” he said.