Network operator 3 Ireland has launched mobile number portability (MNP), the system that allows mobile users to switch network without changing their number.
The company, which launched on to the Irish market six weeks ago, said MNP would pave the way for “serious competition” in the mobile marketplace.
Commenting on the announcement, Bob Fuller, 3 Ireland’s CEO said: “We have worked hard over many months to secure this service, which we see as critical for our customers. The new MNP service for 3 will now mean a truly level playing field.”
Figures recently released by the Commission for Communication Regulation show a rise in switching activity using the MNP service. In the first half of 2005, 94,000 mobile subscriptions switched using the State’s MNP system, compared to a churn rate of 62,000 mobile subscriptions in the first six months of 2004.
By Brian Skelly
