Search for stability of internet services has seen as many as 11,517 customers in Nigeria port from their network providers into 9Mobile, in the third quarter of 2017.
New report ‘Telecoms Data: Active Voice and Internet per State, Porting and Tariff Information for the Third Quarter of 2017’ released on Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that 9Mobile received the highest number of people porting from other networks. The data also showed that only 2,926 people ported from 9Mobile making it the least telecom operator to shed customers.
Porting refers to the transfer of a phone number between two telephone service providers on behalf of a customer. The process involves providing the right documentation to prove ownership of the number as well as coordination between the current provider and the new provider on when the number will be moved over.
According to NBS, in the third of 2017, total number of incoming and outgoing porting activities stood at 16,809 and 16,705, representing an increase of 0.57 percent and 3.38 percent respectively over the previous quarter.
“EMTS (9Mobile) is the largest beneficiary for incoming porting activities, accounting for 11,517 or 69 percent of the total incoming porting. Outgoing porting activities are more equally divided among three major service providers, MTN, GLO and AIRTEL, each of which reported over 400 outgoing porting activities in 2017 Q3. Net porting activity for this quarter is low at 405,” NBS said.
Glo received the least customers (704) porting from other networks while 4,314 came to its platform through the process. Airtel followed behind 9Mobile with 2,660 people joining its network but 4,840 left through porting making it the highest network to lose customers this way. 1,928 people ported to MTN while 4,625 left.