Mobile Number Portability: Benefits, Limitations and Challenges

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1 Mobile Number Portability: Benefits, Limitations and Challenges Shomous Abbas Babiker 1 and Dr. Amin Babiker A/Nabi 2 1,2 Department of Communications, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan Publishing Date: December 03, 2016 Abstract Mobile number portability (MNP) enables the customers to retain their mobile telephone number when they need to change their service provider, service type or geographical location and avoid the cost of changing the telephone number to a new one. This facility gives a lot of advantages to both customers and service providers as well. This paper discusses the general concept of mobile number portability, the technical aspects such as implementation and calls routing schemes, benefits of MNP, limitations and challenges that influencing the success of mobile number portability. Keywords: MNP, Peer to Peer Approach, Call Routing Schemes. Introduction Mobile number portability is the advantage that enables the use of the same subscriber mobile number in another network or another location to avoid the cost of having a new number [1,2]. Before number portability is implemented, any customer changes his service provider, service type or his location, the subscribed had to change also his mobile number. But nowadays, with the facility of mobile number portability, customers can change their service provider without changing their mobile numbers if they are not satisfied with their service providers services and that impose the providers to develop their quality of service standards which lead to rise the competition between them and that increase the satisfaction factor for customers, that can be considered as an advantage, also MNP has a lot of advantages for both customers and service providers. [3,6] Before discussing mobile number portability in details, we must know the technical terminologies of mobile network and number portability which include: 1- Doner network: it the net work that firstly contracted with the subscriber and dedicated a number for him. 2- Recipient network: it is the new network that the subscriber's number is ported to when the subscriber changes the service provider and currently serves the ported number [3]. 3- Old serving network: is the network that produces the service for the ported number before it was switched to a new serving network. Because the subscriber can change his service providers many times, the old service provider is not importantly the doner network. 4- participant: is a provider who is not involved in porting process but it is still needs the routing information to help in call routing and other different activities [4]. Types of Number Portability: 1- Operator/service provider number portability: - Local NP: the subscriber keeps his number when moving from one fixed operator to another. - Mobile NP: transferring of mobile number between wireless operators. - Non-geographical NP: porting of service numbers. 2- Location number portability: The subscriber retains his number when moving inside the service area, within the local area or outside with the same operator. 3- Service number portability: The number of the subscriber remains the same when changing service type [5]. Implementation of Mobile Number Portability: Before implementing number portability in a network, an agreement must be made between all service providers to 8

2 enable number portability between them in supervision of national regulatory in the country. In number portability, we need a central database for numbers or networked database. For installing and implementing number portability, the network provider should make an agreement with the operator of the central database and/or with other providers. This agreement enables the access to the central database and its updates and facilitates the exchange of administrative information with other providers. We have to consider two basic issues in implementing mobile number portability: a. number porting process b. call routing [1]. And we will discuss them as following: A. Number Porting Process: This process covers a group of parties including the current serving service provider (Doner), the new network (recipient) and other service providers not involved in number porting (participants). The fundamental requirement for porting process is initiating a request to the operator by the subscriber. This request can be launched to any one of the service providers either the current service provider or the new provider according to the regulatory policies in the country. There are two ways that enables database maintaining and implementing: 1- Peer to peer 2- Centralized Figure 1: Peer to Peer Approach 2- Centralized Approach: In this method, the regulatory bodies of the country put the guide lines, policies and processes for number portability. All the operators in the country have an interface with centralized number portability administration; this interface is shared and well defined for dealing with the number porting request. This observes to an obvious group of service level agreements for each step in the process and the operators should follow them. The porting request which is initiated by each of service providers (current or recipient according to the policies of the regulatory bodies) is sent firstly to the administration center that all operators number portability solutions are combined with. The request that comes from the recipient operator to the number portability center is sent to the new serving operator, and after that the administration center transmits the information of poring process to all operators in the country [3]. 1- Peer to Peer Approach:- This approach contains dual agreement between two operators, both of them agree on the implementation of number portability founded in their own interface. This approach is non - standard, with this approach there can be many different commercial agreements between the operators and that make it hard to manage the conditions of each agreement and route the porting request. This way is complex and its complexity is increased more with increasing the number of operators. Figure 2: Centralized Approach 9

3 Centralized approach considers the most effective and is used widely all over the world [4]. B. Call Routing Schemes: There are four schemes to call routing that help in number portability which are: 1. All Call Query (ACQ) 2. Query on Release (QoR) 3. Call Dropback 4. Onward Routing (OR) 1. All Call Query: In this routing method, the originating network accepts a call from a caller and queries a central database (CDB) also called number portability database (NPDB). Copies of this database are generally kept with the network operators, and it is hosted within their network in a network element or with a third party. After that, the (NPDB) sends back the routing information that related to the dialed number. Then, the originating network uses this information to route the call to the new network. 3. Call Dropback: Figure 4: Query on Release (QoR) In this method, the originating network accepts a call and sends it to the doner network. The doner network examines its database internally. In case of the number is not available, the doner network quires the administrative NPDB and search for the routing number dedicated for the dialed number. The NPDB then returns the routing number for originating network. Finally the originating network routes the call using the routing number to the new serving network. 2. Query on Release: Figure 3: All Call Query (ACQ) In this routing method, the originating network accepts a call and reroute it to the doner network. This last one releases the call and points that the dialed number is ported out of the network. The originating network then queries its copy of the NPDB. After that, the NPDB sends back the routing information for the dialed number. Then, the originating network uses this information to route the call to the recipient network that now serving the subscriber [4]. 4. Onward Routing: Figure 5: Call Dropback In this routing method, the originating network sends the received call to the doner network. This network examines the administrative database (NPDB) and discovers that the number has been transferred from doner switch. The doner network queries the NPDB and it sends back the routing number dedicated with the dialed number. Then, the doner network forwards the call to the recipient network using that routing number. This method also called call forwarding [6]. 10

4 10- The providers can have the best control for the quality of routing [8]. Limitations of MNP: 1- The loss of number identity that distinguish every service provider. 2- When the number is ported, the unconsumed account will not transferred to the subscriber and he will lose his account and that may affect the prepaid customers. Figure 6: Onward Routing (OR) In a comparison between the four call routing schemes; the all call query is the most effective method because the doner network does not involved in call routing process and that decrease the network resources usage [4]. Benefits of MNP: 1- Subscribers can easily switches from one operator or service provider to another (free mobility) while keeping their mobile numbers. 2- Increase the competition between service providers which it leads to improve the quality of service (QoS) and products line invention. 3- When the market is competitive, there will be price competition between service providers. 4- Service providers may offer different value-added services in order to attract and magnetize the customers for free or at lower price. 5- MNP gives an equal chance for all service providers, the one with the better offers (network coverage, QoS, cost) can stands for long time. [7] 6- MNP removes the cost of informing other peoples by number changing and that is an advantage for porting user. 7- MNP also gives an advantages to the callers which is removed the need to change their entries in their mobile, computer or address books. [4] 8- The subscriber will be able to have very efficient services at lower prices. 9- Service providers can keep their customer loyalty and make a high company value. 3- With the ability of changing the mobile technology (for example from GSM to CDMA or the opposite), there might be a need for changing the mobile handset. 4- TRAI sets a 90 days as lock-in period for the subscriber, if the subscriber does not satisfied with the services of the new service provider, he must wait for 90 days before he can switch again [5]. 5- In many countries, service providers put a high porting fees and monthly fees. 6- Subscribers must wait for a period of time to be ported successfully and this period differs from one country to another and that may be discomfort the subscriber. 7- Increment in price competition between operators. 8- Increase the renovation and marketing costs [7]. Challenges of Number Portability: 1- Cost: The most considerable challenge in implementing mobile number portability is the cost factor. The cost include: the cost of network infrastructure upgrading, the cost of infrastructure maintaining and the cost of network resources usage. 1.1 Setup cost: The setup cost covers the central database (NPDB) setting up cost, the NPDB contain and control the hole details and information for number porting and that provide a well defined interface to all service providers. The setup cost also covers the evolution of the network software, the cost of upgrading the network and the cost of billing system upgrades. All those network upgrades add more to the cost. 11

5 1.2 Maintenance Cost: The maintenance cost cover: the cost for agreements and procedures in number porting process, preparing the ported number, controlling the routing information and reporting all porters about posted number. 1.3 Call Routing Costs: One of the basic issues in MNP is call routing to the ported number. All call routing methods impacts the signaling in the network, the queries for database and the different network resources and all that add more to the cost [4]. 2- Data transmission: When a number has been ported to another service provider, the service providers should evaluate and choose the most effective routing scheme, and in case of transmitting SMS or MMS, the data may loss, therefore, sending a massage needs more attention and that adds more challenge. 3- Porting time: The porting time required to port a number must be as low as possible, and not much greater than the time needed to make a new connection because the customer may abstain from porting his number [3,6]. 4- Subscriber Sensibility: The subscriber should know all the benefits of mobile number portability and how he can port his number. 5- Simplicity: The process of number portability should be simple and that depends on regulatory rules and policies. Some rules are tough and strict, for example the subscriber cannot port his number among the first six months of subscription, and such strict rules can obstruct NP success [5]. Table 1: The Benefits, Limitations and Challenges of MNP Benefits Free mobility between SPs without changing mobile number Increase the competition among SPs to improve QoS Increase the price competition between SP Many value-added services may be offered Equal chance between providers to attract the customers No need to inform others by number changing Limitations The absence of number identity The loss of unconsumed account after porting The need for changing the mobile handset when changing the mobile technology Subscriber must wait for a lock-in period before switching again The porting fees forced by the service providers Waiting time before porting may be long Challenges The cost including setup cost, maintenance cost and call routing cost Data transmission: call routing and SMS/MMS transmission Porting time: it should be at the minimum level Callers don t need to change their entries Efficient services at low prices SPs can guarantee customers loyalty SPs can control the routing quality Increase the price competition among SPs Increase the renovation and marketing cost Subscriber awareness about mobile number portability advantages and process Simplicity of porting process 12

6 Conclusion International Journal of Engineering, Applied and Management Sciences Paradigms, Vol. 42, Issue 01 With the increment in mobile telephone usage, the implementation of mobile number portability becomes necessary. This makes the customers free to choose the best service provider for them and that leads to increase the competition among service providers to improve their quality of service and minimize the cost and complexity. This paper discusses the implementation of MNP and the centralized approach considered the best solution. Also discusses the call routing schemes and the all call query is the best routing scheme. This paper also discusses the benefits of MNP and it benefits the customers and service providers in the same time, also discusses the limitations and some challenge factors facing the mobile number portability. References [1] Mobile Number Portability in INDIA, Ashish Siwach, Shweta Khullar, International Journal of Computer Applications (IJCA), 2011 [2] Implementation Procedures for Mobile Number Portability, M. Vinod Kumar Reddy, S. Rajendra Prasad, International Journal of Innovation in Engineering and Technology, 2013 [3] Mobile Number Portability, Sapatnekar Aparna Ashok, R. B. Digge, Asian Journal of Convergence in Technology [4] Mobile Number Portability: Challenges and solutions, Atiya Faiz Khan, Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences, [5] Mobile Number Portability in India, Simar Preet Singh, Dupinti Saini, International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering, March,2014 [6] A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NUMBER PORTABILITY ROUTING SCHEMES, Suman Deswal, Anita Singhrova, International Journal of Computer Network & Communications (IJCNC), march 2014 [7] Mobile Number Portability (MNP) An Advantage or Disadvantage, A. Jesu Kulandairaj, John Gabriel. S, The International Journal's, Research Journal of Social Science &Management, august 2011 [8] Impact of MNP on Customer Behavior With Reference To Tirupati city Of Andhra Pradesh, M. Reddi Naik, IOSR Journal of Business and Management, Nov