Bolivia established number portability mechanisms for telecommunications services in Supreme Decree No. 2498, issued the end of August 2015. In three months the technical regulations for mobile service portability will be approved, and one year later their application will be mandatory. It is expected that by the end of 2016 the country’s mobile telephone users wishing to change service providers will be able to do so while maintaining their telephone number. This service will be cost-free for users.
The regulatory authority’s executive director underscored that number portability will not only allow users free choice of service providers, but is also a mechanism that will stimulate the market, fostering competition among operators who, to maintain users or attract new ones, will have to improve what users value most: service quality, coverage, lower prices, and attractive offers.
Other telecom services operators using numbering will implement number portability in line with the respective technical regulations to be approved by the regulator, for which no date has been set yet.
Contact
Gerardo Villagómez: gvillagomez@ferrere.com