Telecom Providers and Sharing - Why Telecom Providers may be resistant to MNP

While researching MNP (Mobile Number Portability) while writing my Proposal for the Telecoms Providers, the main focus for the Telecoms Providers next year, it became apparent that contrary to what was said in the article “Mobile Firms divided on mobile number portability” published by jamaica-gleaner.com, Friday, 15 May 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner and many of its ilk.

Once implemented in a coordinated structured manner, MNP (Mobile Number Portability) would not only benefit customers, it would save Telecoms Providers millions of dollars each year on:

• Phone Numbers
• Phone Instruments (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems)
• Mobile cell site maintenance

This once Telecoms Providers do something they have not since Senator Phillip Paulwell, the then Minister of Telecommunications, liberated the Telecoms Sector and enacted the Telecommunications Act of 2000, primal Legislation by which the Telecoms Providers are guided – share. 

Thus I and many young people who have since left the Telecoms Sector are left to wonder if the reason for not introducing MNP (Mobile Number Portability) is politically motivated as MNP (Mobile Number Portability) would not only result in increased co-operation and cost savings, it would also result in a more unified control of the mobile industry by having third-party scrutiny i.e. Government of Jamaica as well as increased security protocols e.g. Employees would have to be implanted with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to identify persons entering and leaving cell sites which would be co-located.

All Telecoms Providers, under a properly set up (Mobile Number Portability) environment, would have unfettered access to all sites in order to do work seamlessly. The increased level of security both from without and within, would make it difficult for Employees seeking to gain additional revenue from the unauthorized usage of the Telecoms Providers Network and hence may be the real source of opposition to  MNP (Mobile Number Portability).

In addition, the cost savings due to the streamlining of the Telecoms Providers as specified in my Proposal would also result in a general increase of salaries, as the Telecom Providers would have no excuse to not be able to pass on the cost-efficiency results of just simply sharing which would result under MNP (Mobile Number Portability).

LIME Employees would clamor for equal pay with their Digicel counterparts and CLARO Employees would clamor for a pay increase and promotions that many feel are due since the changeover from Miphone to CLARO and Digicel Employees would ask for a pay increase since redundancies were done, as stated in the article “Digicel ofers voluntary redundancies”, published Tuesday, January 13, 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner. Salaries as high as JA$100,000.00 per employee, right cross the board could be possible if Telecoms Providers were to share their resources on every level, from Engineering, Finance, Human Resources, etc. 

Thus it is in the best interest of not only the Telecoms Providers but the Telecoms Providers Employees to go MNP (Mobile Number Portability), for as it will result in increased scrutiny from the Government of Jamaica and possibly more taxation, the unprecedented level of sharing that is required in my Proposal, if implemented, should leave a smile on the Telecom Provider’s Employees faces each month when they check their salaries.

The level of efficiency that would be achieved would be so great that the Telecoms Provider would have no choice but to pass on the surplus to its Employees, both in increased salaries as well as Telecoms Providers giving back more to society, both in the form of Direct Financial Support as well as via employment of suitable pre-trained and qualified personnel from our local universities who were given training under programs hosted at the Universities provided jointly by all the Telecoms Providers. 

My conclusion therefore is that a more efficiently, streamlined network would eventually result in increased Government of Jamaica scrutiny but also in increased revenues for Telecoms Providers and Telecoms Providers Employees, even in a Recession, and MNP (Mobile Number Portability) and the high level of sharing which would result from companies putting aside their differences, if ignored, would be to the long term disadvantage of Telecoms Providers.

Especially as most Financial Analysts have forecast the after effects of the recession in fragile Third World Economies to continue on for another seven (7) years, even if the Recession in the United States of America were to be over by the year 2010. 

Thus this is the resolution I would like to pass on to the Telecoms Providers, which should have been a lesson learned from the Birth of the Christ this Christmas, which some state to have taken place during the 25^th December in the start of the Winter Solstice, as evidenced from the lackluster support by customers for your financial giveaways: Share