What are the obstacles to number portability?

On November 27, the number portability service was implemented nationwide for a full year. However, this people-friendly project encountered various obstacles in its implementation. Some media listed many pitfalls: the services provided by operators are full of traps and have restrictions on the period of network use; the good numbers are like "selling bodies" and high compensation is required for switching networks; intimidation is used to retain users, saying that they will become "second-class users" if they switch networks...

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These shady moves have hindered the smooth implementation of number portability and the implementation of relevant policies. Data provided by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show that by the end of August this year, more than 12 million users nationwide had completed number portability. Compared with the total number of 1.6 billion mobile phone users, this rate is not high.

On the one hand, this may be because some users are afraid of trouble, have dual-SIM dual-standby phones, etc., and have no need to switch networks. On the other hand, the existence of many pitfalls has indeed made many users give up on number portability. A survey released by the Beijing Consumer Association on November 26 showed that among the respondents who had handled number portability, 70.39% said that they encountered certain difficulties and obstacles during the process. Some consumers had to give up because the original package contract had not expired or involved liquidated damages.

These small moves are still hindering the promotion of high-quality development of the information and communication industry. On the surface, number portability has untied the binding relationship between operators and users, giving users more freedom to choose. In fact, this will force operators to make more changes and comprehensively optimize service levels in terms of tariffs, quality, services, and applications. In a sense, number portability is a catfish, promoting market competition and promoting network speed and fee reduction. The stirring of this catfish is hindered, and the motivation for operators to reform is naturally small.

In addition, blocking number portability will also cause a waste of resources. Public data shows that from March to November 2019, the industry invested more than 3 billion yuan in the construction of infrastructure for number portability. Such a huge cost was secretly blocked, which is a waste.

These small actions are still hindering the continued release of reform dividends. Number portability is a people-oriented project with broad social influence and significant social benefits. This people-oriented project not only gives people who need to switch networks more choices, but also forces operators to provide users with more convenient, higher-quality and richer communication and information services, so that more users can feel a sense of gain.

The benefits released by number portability are real money benefits for more users. If this project is not fully implemented due to some small actions, it will affect the continued release of the benefits. Relevant surveys show that the main reason for users to port their numbers is to expect to get better networks, cheaper rates and better services, which can generally reflect the common voice of the majority of users.

It is worth mentioning that the regulatory authorities have always maintained a zero-tolerance attitude towards these small actions. According to data provided by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in September, since the official launch of the number portability service, the national telecommunications management agencies have cumulatively interviewed, notified, ordered rectification, and imposed administrative penalties on telecommunications companies at all levels for related violations more than 500 times. Recently, a man in Shaanxi encountered a fraudulent change by the operator when porting his number. The package he applied for was extended for 18 years and he could not cancel the number. After verifying the facts, the Shaanxi Provincial Communications Administration issued a warning to Xi'an Mobile and imposed an administrative penalty of 50,000 yuan. Several relevant responsible persons were also criticized.

From the supervision, notification and punishment of the regulatory authorities, it can be seen that the promotion of the project of number portability will only intensify and the determination cannot be shaken. Operators should give up the fluke mentality and treat users who switch networks generously. From another perspective, if the service level is improved and the tariff is reduced, not many users will have nothing better to do to switch networks.