The possibility of a number portability service, allowing users to keep their mobile phone numbers even after switching to another provider, is currently being discussed between the telecom operators and Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
The number portability service allows to keep mobile phone number unchanged when moving to a different operator and it maintains all your added services like mobile banking.
Mr Innocent Mungy, TCRA Public Relations Manager, in an interview with The Guardian, had explained the reasoning behind years of negotiations: “We have not introduced the service because some requirements have not been met. But I want to assure the people that the service is underway and will be in operation as soon as we clinch the agreement”.
According to both Mr Mungy and Tanzania Communication, Science and Technology Minister Professor Mbarawa, the government had already formulated the set of necessary requirements, and it is up to the telecom operators to agree on the technicalities of operating the number portability service.
The number portability service would be introduced in order to encourage the competition among telecom companies and would be free for the users.
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