[kictanet] Number Portability - Baptism of fire

Mon Apr 4 12:28:52 EAT 2011

The MPESA/Zap questions have been answered - your mobile money account can't
be transferred. Subscribers need to withdraw remaining cash and use up
airtime or settle their bills if post-paid subscribers before porting.

And yes, the fact that a new SIM card is actually cheaper than porting is
probably a disincentive as well - although at least Airtel have offered to
cover the porting fee.

On 4 April 2011 08:56, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com> wrote:

> Number portability doesnt seem to make sense under the existing
> circumstances, simple questions have not been answered to mwananchi such as
> when you port, what will happen to your mpesa, zap or whatever, we must
> appreciate the fact that we have moved beyond voice, besides, if the cost of
> porting is higher than buying a new sim card why trouble myself?, this
> issues have to be clarified in the public domain we must stop being too
> sophisticated with technology.
>
> My thoughts.
>
> On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 8:36 AM, <eonchari at lynxbits.com> wrote:
>
>> ..or it could be that Kenyans are just smart
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> *From:* robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
>> *To:* eonchari at lynxbits.com*
>> Cc:* kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>> *Sent:* 4/4/11 1:30 AM
>> *Subject:* [kictanet] Number Portability - Baptism of fire
>>
>>  On the 1st of April when number portability became active I expected to
>> see long lines at various providers customer service centres but shockingly
>> there where none, at least not in the Nairobi CBD.
>>
>> We expected that there would be huge full and double page advertisements
>> in the newspapers and scantily dressed girls and over dressed boys shoving
>> fliers down our throats, so why hasn't it happened?
>>
>> Some of the offers made no sense and others might have had a negative
>> effect, for example, Orange had a half page advertisement on a postpay offer
>> yet when I called the listed number it went unanswered I then send an email
>> to the address shown, it is 3 days later and I have had no response.  The
>> mistake Orange keep making is assuming that they are competing with the
>> rest, they need to acknowledge that they are the underdog and behave
>> accordingly.  Safaricom can have a policy not to sell dual SIM phones but
>> Orange do not have the luxury, they objective should be cannibalism.
>>
>> On Sunday I passed by Orange's new customer service centre at the Sarit
>> Centre and was received with the usual cold reception, after spending a
>> minutes working round the very small shop I walked over to talk to a staff
>> member who was seated at a desk "texting" away on a phone oblivious to her
>> surrounding to ask about the new postpay advert that was in the paper.  As
>> expected she had absolutely no clue of the advert or even the offer.  So why
>> is it that organisations have e-mail and intranets if information from the
>> ivory tower is sent to the branches and floors below using Postal Mail
>> (postive for PMG)?
>>
>> That is the problem with Orange and we do not really expect much better
>> from them, but Safaricom needs to find its footing afresh as their product
>> offerings and customer service is quickly becoming wanting.  There reaction
>> to the number portability issue seems to have missed the mark, they are
>> concentrating on attracting new subscribers instead of trying to retain the
>> existing ones.
>>
>> An associate of mine saw the N8 on offer and dragged me along as he
>> applied for the new service, he is an existing postpay customer but because
>> the offer is not available to existing postpay customers he had to cancel
>> his existing contract to take up a new one so as to enjoy the phone offer..
>>  I hope the exception report will be tabled at their Monday management
>> meeting so that they can rethink the strategy.
>>
>> I was tempted to do the same but realised it was actually easier to just
>> apply afresh which will resulting in Safaricom making the mistake of
>> thinking that the offer had brought in a new subscriber yet it the the
>> existing ones who are taking additional lines.  Safcom will realise this
>> when my bill next month for my main line drops by 90% and the difference in
>> usage moves to the new number.
>>
>> Well as is confirmed yet again, Kenyans are peculiar.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Robert Yawe
>> KAY System Technologies Ltd
>> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
>> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
>> Kenya
>>
>> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Barrack O. Otieno
> Afriregister Ltd (Kenya)
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for
> people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>

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