Portability, rules for mobile number transfer change

2025-07-05 08:48:00, Aktualitet CNA

Number portability has consistently been a problematic process for users. This service still has a very high rate of rejection of requests and a large number of complaints to the regulatory authority. AKEP has prepared a new regulation, which aims to improve the process, with the aim of addressing the problems that have arisen and reflecting the changes of the new law on electronic communications.

The Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) has prepared a draft regulation on how to implement number portability.

The drafting of the new regulation is related to the changes provided for in the new law "On Electronic Communications in the Republic of Albania", but also changes aimed at addressing the problems reported by subscribers or identified by AKEP regarding the rejection of porting requests by the providing operators.

According to data from AKEP, mobile number portability reached an all-time low last year. Approximately 19,500 mobile numbers were ported in 2024, 50% less than the previous year.

AKEP data also shows that the rejection rate of subscribers' requests for number portability remains quite high. For 2024, about 50% of these requests were rejected.

The rejection rate of applications has decreased from the level of almost 70% a year ago, but, despite this, the process continues to have problems.

According to AKEP, the issues reported in subscriber complaints are related to rejections of number porting requests by the transferring operator, due to the mismatch of the prepaid user ID in the transferring operator's systems with the ID in the porting request sent by the beneficiary operator, as well as the contractual obligations of the postpaid subscriber (contract) to the transferring operator.

However, AKEP states that the number of complaints about number porting has been significantly reduced compared to 2023.

Number porting for subscribers of public mobile telephone networks and services began in 2011, while for subscribers of public fixed telephone networks and services it began in 2012. By the end of 2024, it results that a total of about 1.3 million mobile numbers and about 20 thousand fixed numbers have been ported.

The amount of mobile numbers ported during a year in the period 2011-2024 was around 100 thousand ports per year and after reaching a peak in 2017 (over 250 thousand ports), it has been declining, except for the period 2020-2021 where the amount of mobile numbers ported increased more than twice compared to 2019.

The new Law "On Electronic Communications" provides for a fine of up to 2% of the annual revenue (but not more than 50 million lek) of the electronic communications operator, if it does not fulfill the legal obligations imposed on number portability.

Credit refund when number is ported

According to the new law "On Electronic Communications", when a user terminates a contract, he retains the right to port his number to another operator, for at least one month from the date of termination of the previous contract, unless the user himself waives this right.

Also, reflecting the provisions of the new law, the draft regulation also stipulates that subscribers in the consumer category who are prepaid users of mobile services have the right to request a refund from the provider operator for their remaining or unused credits on the date of number porting.

The issuing operator must reimburse the customer for the remaining credits based on the customer's request with a prepayment (always deposited with the issuing operator). The user will be given a deadline to submit the refund request, which deadline must not be less than 14 calendar days from the date of number porting.

The providing operator must offer the possibility of submitting a refund request by consumers at points of sale, as well as through the use of online electronic means (e.g. email or requests filed online) that the operator can use in relations with subscribers and that enable the identification of the latter.

The providing operator has the right to apply an administrative fee for processing the refund request only when it is provided for in the existing contract with the consumer.

The fee applied in these cases must be proportionate and in the right ratio to the operator's actual costs of providing the refund. It must be fixed and independent of the amount refunded, but in any case not higher than 500 lek (including VAT).

Reimbursable prepaid subscriber credits are the monetary value of prepaid credits by the consumer subscriber, which are valid for use or their remaining value in the prepaid user's account (prepaid account balance/remaining balance) at the time of service termination by the providing operator due to number porting.

This value does not include credits already used to purchase prepaid packages, nor the value of credits offered by the issuing operator as a bonus or promotion to the subscriber.

The operator must reimburse the consumer by cash payment at a point of sale or by bank transfer if this is requested by the consumer himself.

The providing operator must reimburse the consumer within a reasonable period, but no later than 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the refund request.

The issuing operator, within 3 working days of receiving the refund request, must notify the consumer by durable means (SMS for requests submitted at the operator's point of sale and email for requests submitted by email or online) informing them about the amount and method of reimbursement, if the refund request is valid; or the reason for not accepting the refund request (for example, if the request was submitted outside the deadline set in the regulation or the consumer applying for refund has no remaining valid credits on the date of service interruption/number porting)./ Monitor Magazine