GOING by the disclosure of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), only about 10,000 subscribers might have embraced the number porting process in Nigeria.

MNP, which is presently in its sixth week in the country, was launched by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to among other things, stir up competition among operators, improve billing integrity and ensure improvement in quality of service offerings by GSM operators including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat.

Speaking with The Guardian at the weekend, NATCOMS President, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, said that the information available to him revealed that only about 10, 000 subscribers had switched operators.

Ogunbanjo, while appreciating the NCC for introducing MNP, pointed out that most subscribers were yet to get along with the process, stressing that lots of awareness and technicalities around it must be resolved.

The NATCOMS president said that porting had nothing to do with the down turn in quality of service, rather he said that NCC’s lifting of promo ban had dastardly affected service offerings from operators.

“Information with me showed that about 10, 000 subscribers have ported. But contrary to speculations that number porting is affecting quality of service, I will say no, but promos and lotteries are presently the bane of all the networks, because they are congested. I would rather want NCC to return the ban on promos and lotteries,” he stated.

Like Ogunbanjo, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo said that MNP would not take away service quality challenges.

Adebayo added that QoS challenge is a distinct one, saying that it only provided subscribers networks options.

“Like I have said in several of my interviews, MNP will not resolve service quality challenges. It only gives subscribers network provider options. We need to go back to the basis. It has become urgent for government to also intervene.

“The issue of fibre cuts, incessant sites closure by (local government and agencies of government), multiple taxations, all must be address,” he stated.

According to him, the problem of congestion might not be resolved until government steps in and address grey areas confronting investment.

It will be recalled that the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Tony Ojobo had disclosed that 48 hours after the launch of MNP on April 22 in the country, about 4000 subscribers switched network.

Ojobo said that the commission didn’t rule out challenges at the early stage of the process in the country, but that subsequently and as people become more aware of it, Nigerians would embrace the process.

Investigation by The Guardian revealed apathy for the NCC’s initiative. This was brought about by the use of multi SIM devices in the country.

Virtually, four out of every five Nigerians carry multi SIM devices, owing to poor service offerings from the telecommunications operators.