ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações has approved the designation of the National Numbering Plan (NNP) ''92'' numbering range for the mobile telephone service. This decision follows a request made by TMN in April. The Portugal Telecom operator sought the allocation of rights to use new blocks of 10,000 numbers for the mobile telephone service, affirming that over 60% of the total resources allocated have already been assigned to active customers - a condition of accepting the request.
Given these circumstances and given the fact that the ''91'', ''93'' and ''96'' numbering ranges have already been exhausted, ANACOM will have to find the reserves necessary in the adjacent ranges ''92'', ''95'', ''97'', ''98'', ''99'' and ''90'' - note that the ''94'' range already incorporates codes for the Mobile trunking service and the mobile maritime service.
Therefore, the regulator chose the ''92'' range for reasons of sequence and homogeneity, and due to the fact that it has already been earmarked for MVNO use.
In view of the technological neutrality of the NNP and its purpose of providing access to services without revealing the specific networks, systems or the provider with specific characteristics, the allocation of rights to use ''9'' numbers to any mobile telephone service is possible. Accordingly the ''92'' range, now approved, is designated for mobile telephone services, including those provided by network operators, such as TMN, Optimus and Vodafone, and those provided by virtual mobile operators, whether light or full MVNOs.
However, the choice of a new numbering range can have some impact on users, in terms of portability. Despite the fact that, as a result of operator portability, users have been learning not to identify operators depending solely on the number, this is a learning process that is far from consolidated. In fact, mobile number portability has had a very low-impact penetration rate and as such the connection between operator and numbers is still strongly felt.
The allocation of numbers beginning with ''92'' to operators already established in the market - as is now the case of TMN - brings forward and highlights an issue that has already been identified in respect of the designation of this range to MVNOs: the sharing of the ''92'' range between different operators presents further problems in the identification by users of off-net calls, which often involve tariffs that are a number of times higher than on-net calls.
As is known, the price differential between on-net and off-net calls in the terrestrial mobile service has led to the intervention of ANACOM in respect of the implementation of portability in this market, in order to enforce the provision of a message which identifies the occurrence of calls which, by being off-net will have a tariff that is unexpectedly much higher. This message does not apply in this case, given that it does not concern a ported number, leaving the consumer uninformed as to whether they are making an on-net or off-net call because a call to a ''92'' number could be to a customer of the same or another network, such as another MNO or MVNO.
This issue is obviously connected to the more general problem of significant differential between on-net and off-net prices in the Portuguese mobile communications market, placing an additional pressure on its reduction.
ICP-ANACOM will address this problem and take it into account, especially in the possible need to broaden the scope of the message currently provided in the area of portability, in the event that a significant alteration in the price differential between on-net e off-ne calls is not seen. Meanwhile it is a matter that needs further reflection, involving market consultation, so as to reach a decision on the need for and scope of measures for the improvement of transparency for the user of calls in one of these situations.
Consult:
- Designation of the NNP ''92'' numbering range for mobile telephone service https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=502209
