Barbados to implement number portability
Published:Tuesday | October 25, 2022 | 7:59 AM
(CMC) – 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 that all telecommunications service providers are on board with the new system and that 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 that the initiative will be supported by legislation which 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 that 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.
Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.