The Barbados government says consumers will soon be able to switch telephone service providers for mobile and landline services without having to change their phone numbers.
It said the local number portability or number porting will be free to consumers and will remove the hassle and inconvenience of having to inform contacts such as family, friends, colleagues, customers, and clients that telephone numbers have been changed. The only cost persons are likely to incur is a small fee to unlock their handset for it to work on the new network.
Previously, switching to a new service provider also meant having to get a new telephone number. It is expected that the new system will benefit customers by promoting competition, as providers compete to offer services with better prices and the quality of service they believe to be most attractive to consumers.
A government statement said all telecommunications service providers are on board with the new system and Digital Infrastructure, formerly the Barbados Telecommunications Unit), is the regulatory body responsible for providing recommendations and advice on telecommunications matters to government.
Industry, Innovation, Science, and Technology Minister, Davidson Ishmael, said the initiative will be supported by legislation that the Mia Mottley government is putting in place.
Ishmael said the legislation and regulations mandating the introduction and launch of the local number portability service are ingrained within the national telecommunications legislation of Barbados and the government is making it easier for new companies to join the telecommunications market.
“We have put measures in place to ensure that these new firms can connect to existing networks at a fair price, so that they can offer competitive services to you, the consumer, giving you more choices and more power when it comes to the choice of your phone company. We eagerly look forward to making local number portability a reality here in our country,” he said.
CMC/
