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TRCSL releases number portability consultation paper

02 Feb 2021

Seeks public input on implementation    The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) this week has officially released the public consultation paper regarding the implementation of the number portability facility, to gather the views of the public regarding the implementation of this new facility. The public consultation paper mentioned that TRCSL has taken the policy decision to implement number portability in telecommunications networks in Sri Lanka. In addition to this, TRCSL also invited all interested parties to submit their responses along with their views via email to the TRCSL website or post it to TRC on or before 12 February 2021. The number portability facility, which enables customers to retain their numbers while changing service providers, was announced by the Government last year and is expected to come into effect by mid-2021, according to the TRCSL.  TRCSL Director General Oshada Senanayake told The Sunday Morning Business last month that the public consultation paper, which is a formality arrangement, will be released soon, and that the TRCSL is expecting feedback for that from mid-February onwards. “All telecommunication (telco) providers have already agreed in principle. In fact last year, in the last quarter of 2020, they published their own statements that they are looking forward to collaborating on this initiative,” Senanayake stated. Number portability, which enables the switching of mobile and fixed line numbers across competing service providers, is a customer facility widely practiced internationally, and is a key facet of a liberalised telecommunications market. Dialog, in a statement issued last year, noted that it first proposed in July 2008 the initiation of a roadmap to alleviate consumer choice bottlenecks, including number portability, and that it believes that maximising consumer choice would result in the enhancement and development of the industry overall, resulting in benefits to all service providers and their customers. “Dialog is honoured by the trust placed in the brand and its services by over 15 million Sri Lankan consumers. The success and growth of the company would not have been possible if not for our customers exercising their choice,” stated Dialog Director/Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe at the time. “Open competition and customer choice is at the root of our success, and is a paradigm we deeply respect. Advanced technologies enable not only a suite of advanced facilities, but also the freedom of consumers to choose the best.” While Sri Lanka’s telecommunications market has been recognised globally for its affordability and quality of services, as well as state-of-the-art technology and advanced facilities, enabling the portability of mobile and fixed numbers across networks has not been implemented to date. “We are very happy to see the TRCSL moving forward with the next steps in the liberalisation of our industry, and we congratulate the TRCSL for initiating the process of implementing number portability in Sri Lanka. Dialog is also optimistic that the TRCSL will move forward swiftly with other similar enablers of consumer choice,” Weerasinghe added.


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