NTA Planning to Use the Sevices of Various Companies on the Same Number

The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) is preparing to implement the ‘Number Portability’ arrangement whereby the same number can be retained even when changing the service provider company for the convenience of the service recipients.

Once this service is launched, users will be able to switch to the network of their choice with the SIM card they are using. This means that customers who are currently using a SIM card of Nepal Telecom or Ncell will be able to avail of the service by changing the company to the number they are using.

After the implementation of this service, the subscribers of Ncell will be able to avail of the services of Telecom and the subscribers of Telecom will be able to avail the services of Ncell or any other service provider from the same number. For that, NEA has just formed an internal committee with an expert and prepared the working procedure.

“Now, the procedure will go to the board of the NEA steering committee,” said NEA spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal. “The board will discuss and decide on the procedure.” Based on that, NEA will move ahead with the process of selecting the companies required to provide the number of portability services.

The company will coordinate with other service providers, change the network, collect network transfer fees and collect necessary documents. However, all this work will not be done this year.

In this year’s budget, NEA has allocated Rs 5,00,000 only for the study of number portability. The procedure has been prepared by studying on the basis of that. Now, on the basis of the said procedure, the budget for the next fiscal year will be forwarded for implementation, says spokesperson Aryal.

This is not a new thing to start a service that can be used by different companies on the same mobile number. NEA had earlier demanded an international consultant in 2074 BS.

The report submitted by the consulting company stated that the market for number portability in Nepal is not ready at present. This is the reason why the authority that was withdrawn then has now moved it forward again.