A Mobile number portability (MNP) service enables mobile phone users to change their service providers without changing their original number. Its purpose is to foster consumer choice and effective competition by enabling subscribers to switch between providers without the costs and inconvenience of changing telephone number. It can also be applied to fixed lines.

Yet, it’s the one thing Claro really wants, second only to overtaking Digicel this year in the marketplace. Digicel on the other hand, says “that the costs of implementing number portability are not outweighed by the benefits, based upon its experience in other markets.” Claro wants it badly; Digicel says it’s too expensive. It is, perhaps, tempting to assume that a newer market entrant would be welcoming MNP much more enthusiastically, mindful of an improved opportunity to grab customers from established rivals. So it’s not surprising then that challenging operators would take the aggressive stance, whereas dominant operators are initially more reluctant to push MNP. Hmmm! more