By Ngozi Obiwulu
The Mobile Number Portability (MNP) kicked off in Nigeria on Monday, April 22, 2013 under the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC). MNP is the ability of a cellular mobile service user to change his/her subscription to another cellular network operator while retaining his/her original directory number.
This service which is totally free will require that customers have a contact back-up before porting so as not to lose contacts because a new SIM card will issued once porting is completed. After porting, you must stay on your new network for at least 90days before you can port back to your old network or to another network. To port, text ‘port’ to 3232
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said 4,000 people ported their numbers in the first 48 hours of the introduction of MNP although they did not give a breakdown of the ported networks. NET decided to go to the street and hear from fellow Nigerian network users.
Question- Did you port your network and what is your reason for that?
Name: Kingsley Nzubuogwu
Comment: I have not ported and not porting. It makes no new sense. What’s the point when I have all the networks?
Name: Solomon Chilaka
Comment: I no wan port. Infact for now, I no dey port enter anywhere because no difference between Ajegunle, Mushin, Okokomaiko,, Ijesha and Orile…and monkey no dey different from chimpanzee…all na same; na just name dey different
Name: Pius Ogar
Comment: I did not port. My comment on this porting thing is that the subscriber is just exercising his right. Once a subscriber for a SIM, he or she has automatically bought that number so it belong to him or her. He/ She can decide to do whatever with it.
Name: Chizoba Okafor
Comment: I don’t really know much about the porting thing.
Name: Adebayo Hammed
Comment: No, I’m still okay with my network provider
Name: Charity Nzuruike
Comment: I no port oh! For no reason. All the networks are the same, no one is better
Name: Ifeyinwa Ikpokolo
Comment: Yes, I have ported because I felt my previous network was no longer reliable. If someone ports most times, you will realize you are missing benefits from a particular network.
Name: Seunphumie Akintayo
Comment: It’s a good thing though but I don’t know how effective it’s going to be because all naija service providers are just so full of shit. Like the old saying, ‘the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know at all’. I’ll rather stick with the one I’m with because who knows if porting will ruin the things you don’t want to lose.
Name: Kunle Okunola
Comment: I have not ported but I will like to port. Please tell me more about the porting stuff and how to go about porting with my airtel SIM.
Name: Blessing Nwafor
Comment: I don’t know about it.
Name: Titus Nchor
Comment: I just came back to Nigeria; I was in Benin republic so I have not heard anything like porting before.
Name: Onyinye Ude
Comment: I have not heard about that.
Name: Tansi Iyeku
Comment: I like MTN, my both numbers are even MTN. So, why would I want to change it?
Name: Tosin Omiyinka
Comment: I did not port or what you call it. I just did not or must I have an opinion on that? Is it important or necessary? I really haven’t thought of it before so I don’t know about it for now.
Name: Obaro Aziza
Comment: I don’t have that kind of time to be changing SIM or network.
Name: Shefunmi Fadahunsi
Comment: I am ignorant of the news, don’t know about it.
Name: Obinna Nwokeforo
Comment: What am I porting for? I don’t need it, I’m okay with my network even if it’s not the best but I’l keep using it like that than changing to the one I’m not sure of.
Name: Ronke Odukoya
Comment: What if I port and some problem arise like losing some of my contacts or something? I just don’t trust all these new packages, they work for a while and then they either stop or they take you back to where you were before.
Name: Tope Elumole
Comment: Port wetin, I did not port anything. I have an MTN and an airtel SIM so where am I porting to again. If I need another network, I’l just buy it. I don’t have time for all those wahala jare!
Name: Ijeoma Obiwulu
Comment: Anybody that wants to port should go and port. As for me, I am not porting. I have been using my current SIM for years; I don’t like all those change in SIM, change in number and others.
