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By John Le Fevre
BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Mobile phone users will soon be able to switch their phone numbers between carriers after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) endorsed the regulations requiring it.
The newly approved, but long awaited, regulations on telephone number portability will be implemented next month, after being published in the Royal Gazette.
The regulations say a mobile phone carriers must provide the ability for customers to transfer their existing telephone number drom one carrier to another within three months of being gazetted.
However, Thailand’s largest GSM carrier, Advanced Info Service (AIS), operators of the AIS, Datanet and GSM 1800 products and owned by Shin Corporation, claims the three months within which carriers must comply is unrealistic.
AIS president Wichian Mektrakarn said in practice the process will take more than a year.
Wichian said operators need time to set up the system for transferring numbers, and will need to evaluate suitable, competing products. Installing and testing the software, as well as altering customer service agreements, will also take time, he said.
NTC commissioner Sudharm Yoonaidharma, said the commission and the Consumer Protection Committee would accept any complaints from customers of mobile carriers that refused to follow the new regulations beginning in November.
Another issue that carriers also need to address is how to transfer pre-paid accounts containing a credit from one to the other.
Sudharm said the NTC isn’t concerned how the matter is resolved, but a suitable solution must be found within the three months.
The regulations also set the maximum fee that can be charged for transferring numbers at not more than the cost of a new, prepaid Sim card, which is currently Bt50 (about $US1.47).
-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-19
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