Vietnam's mobile operators have started rolling out mobile number portability (MNP) capabilities for the nation's more than 120 million mobile users.
But to make the implementation process simpler, the market's big three mobile operators Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone have initially decided to limit the capability to postpaid subscribers, the Vietnam Investment Reviewreported. This represents only around 5% of total mobile users.
The capability will be extended to the far larger prepaid market from the start of next year.
According to the report, each switch will take around 2-3 days, and after switching customers will need to stay with their new provided for at least 90 days before switching again. Mobile bills will need to be fully paid up before a customer makes a switch.
Vietnam's Authority of Telecommunications has recommended a service charge of 60,000 dong ($2.60), and the operators have agreed to follow this recommendation.
The government encouraged the implementation of MNP in order to motivate operators to improve service quality and infrastructure in order to retain subscribers, and to increase choices for consumers.