OREANDA-NEWS.  January 16, 2012. Azerbaijan’s first mobile operator Bakcell is preparing to transfer to system of mobile number portability (MNP).

The Company informs that within the framework of upcoming transition to MNP Bakcell will switch to a new system for on-net dialing calls.

Since 21 January when making on-net call the Bakcell subscribers must dial prefix 055 before cell number.

This practice is used throughout the world and will be applied in the networks of other mobile operators in Azerbaijan, whose subscribers will also be required to dial ten-digit number, including ptrefix of the cell operator (in particular: Azercell - 050 and 051, Azerfon - 070 and 077), when making calls.

To avoid problems with portability of the same numbers are used by different users in different networks, the subscriber numbers will be transferred together with the prefix. Thus, if the Bakcell subscriber, whose number begins from 055 transfers to the network of Azerfon or Azercell Telekom, his prefix remains the same as well as the number and those who call to him do not notice the process of number portability.

A structure (the Communications Ministry, one of its departments or an independent regulatory body) to undertake functions of the number portability regulator will be known after the number portability rules are developed.

Negative experience of introduction of similar systems in countries of the region will be taken into account when drafting the rules document.

At the initial stage, the Communications Ministry intends to introduce the system of number portability in mobile network and in the future, if necessary, it will consider the matter of number portability in the fixed network. This service is available today in Europe. In particular, its introduction in Turkey started in late 2008. Work on the project of MNP introduction has been conducted by the Ministry of Communications & Information Technologies of Azerbaijan since 2008.

To date, the Ministry has identified the technical conditions of MNP in the networks of mobile operators.

Implementation of this system will ensure more freedom for the end user in choice between operators without fear of losing his phone number and therefore contacts.