A user fills a form for mobile number portability service. Procedures for network switching service was urged to be further simplifed to bring convenience for users. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam urged mobile network operators to further simplify procedures for mobile number portability (MNP) services to create convenience for users to switch networks.

From November 2018 when MNP services were launched in Viet Nam to December 7, more than 2.7 million mobile subscribers switched their network with MNP services with a total of 6.2 million switch registrations.

The percentage of subscribers who successfully changed was 92.29 per cent while 4.49 per cent were rejected.

The MNP services saw significant increases in the number of involved subscribers from 6,814 in 2018 to more than 2.7 million as of December 7, and in successful switches from 26.53 per cent in 2018 to 92.9 per cent.

According to Viet Nam Telecommunications Authority, the MNP services became an important factor in creating a competitive market for mobile network providers and create pressure forcing enterprises to increase network coverage and services quality.

The implementation of MNP services still encountered a number of difficulties due to the lack of compatibility of telecommunications systems of different operators at different points of time, requiring coordination between the management agencies and network providers.

Tam said that Viet Nam was the fourth country in ASEAN to implement MNP services, a move in response to the recommendations of international organisations in which Viet Nam was a member as well as the commitments of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.

"The MNP services not only bring benefits to users but also promote the development of the telecommunications market," Tam said.

This service required a change in thinking by telecommunication enterprises and meeting demand for network switching was their responsibility, he said, adding that the industry was striving to ensure transparency in eligibility for MNP services, cancelling methods and compensation as well as setting up hotlines to solve complaints.

Tam urged the Viet Nam Telecommunications Authority to closely watch the implementation of MNP services and tackle difficulties as well as handle violations.

Mobile network operators should move to provide MNP services completely online and reduce the time for completing network switching to within one day, Tam said.

He also urged conditions for MNP services to be eased to allow more users to switch networks. — VNS