More clarity needed on FNP implementation

For the MCMC to push through a public consultation paper with a view of implementing FNP, is certainly a step in the right direction.

PETALING JAYA: Finally, the last bastion for number portability is likely to be opened.

The opening up the fixed number portability (FNP) has somewhat been a challenge all these years.

In comparison, the mobile number portability (MNP) was launched in 2008.

The FNP should have been implemented long ago.

Since 2016, the industry players have been asking the Malaysian Communications andMultimedia Commission (MCMC) to implement the FNP.

For the MCMC to push through a public consultation paper with a view of implementing FNP, is certainly a step in the right direction.

Hong Kong was the first country to implement FNP in 1995. Several other countries have done so since.

Last week, the MCMC posted a public inquiry paper on its website seeking feedback from the public on a proposed plan to implement the FNP.

Feedback must reach the MCMC by noon on March 1,2021.

Thus far, no date has been fixed on when the FNP will be implemented.

The 42-page document has 14 questions covering, among others, cost, central clearing house, porting time frame and the intention to form an industry working group.

FNP basically allows users to switch their fixed telephone lines without hassle from one service provider to another while retaining their existing number.

This is similar to the MNP, which has been popular since its onset.

Last year there were four million MNP requests and close to 1.9 million ports were completed. For the first half of this year, there were close to two million port requests, with 800,000 ports completed.

MCMC believes the FNP will provide more benefits and options to consumers as well as better services. It provides space for healthier competition based on service quality and packages as well as affordable prices among telecom service providers.

As at end last year, there were 6.48 million fixed telephone subscriptions.

As part of its Jendela initiative, the MCMC wants the country wired up with fixed broadband connectivity. By 2025, the target is to increase gigabit access from 4.95 million to nine million premises passed.

Since the FNP involves only voice, the main beneficiaries are said to be enterprises and corporations that still use fixed number telephones for their voice connections.

The FNP will help them save cost with better deals as competition is likely to drive prices down while still retaining their original telephone number.

But experts believe FNP is expected to hardly benefit the homeusers although there are still pockets of the population on fixed line connectivity that may want to switch networks with the FNP.

MCMC cited several examples of FNP implementation in several countries in its documents.

Based on that, the MCMC believes that the FNP may have a positive effect on the development of the fixed broadband market.

It added that service bundling is something which has risen in popularity worldwide over the past 10 to 15 years.

Therefore, it is interesting to analyse the popularity of fixed voice service bundles including other fixed and mobile telecoms offerings, such as fixed broadband.

There are additional benefits of harmonising the FNP and MNP processes, notably in terms of ensuring a simple, coordinated customer experience. Thus, the current MNP system provides a useful reference point when considering the implementation of FNP.

It adds that MNP has proved to be a successful tool in facilitating competition in the mobile market.

While implementing the FNP is the way forward, there needs to be some clarity on whether those with high speed broadband connections that are bundled with voice options will be considered as part of the FNP. If this is so, it is surely great news for many.