Qtel, Vodafone take key step in mobile number portability

Qtel and Vodafone have made a big stride towards realising mobile number portability in the country by contracting Norway’s Systor Group as the technology partner for service introduction in Qatar.The much-awaited mobile number portability initiative, which has been supported by ictQATAR, will allow mobile users in Qatar to retain their mobile number, while freely choosing their mobile service operator.There are many consumers and businesses using Easy-to-Remember (ETR) and Star Numbers who have expressed interest in retaining their number, while changing their mobile service provider. Qtel and Vodafone Qatar have worked together to agree the technical solution for the process with Systor Group, which provides high-availability transactional database solutions, including number portability, in a diverse range of countries including India, Norway, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Ecuador. Qtel chief operating officer Waleed Mohamed al-Sayed said, “Qtel continues to work with our partners and the regulator to ensure customers enjoy the best possible choice and value across the market. As part of the commitments of our Customer Charter, we recognise that customers want to be able to retain their preferred mobile numbers, and we will work to satisfy this demand. I would like to thank Vodafone Qatar and ictQATAR for their engagement in this process, which will contribute to the development of the communications sector.” Vodafone Qatar chief executive officer Richard Daly said, “‘Vodafone welcomes and fully supports the introduction of Mobile Number Portability in Qatar. We believe that customers should have complete freedom to choose their preferred operator and should always be able to keep their personal number with them. We will work closely with ictQATAR, Qtel and Systor to make number portability a reality as soon as it is possible.”Saleh al-Kuwari, Regulatory Authority Technical Affairs Manager at ictQATAR and head of the National Numbering Committee said: “ictQATAR is pleased that significant progress has been made in bringing the benefits of mobile number portability to telecommunications consumers in Qatar. This is an important part of developing a robust and competitive telecommunications market in Qatar, and we look forward to its introduction before the end of the year.” All parties are working on the agreed process and timetable for the implementation of Mobile Number Portability, and a full timetable will be presented to the public in the coming months.