OREANDA-NEWS. March 05, 2013. Subscribers to mobile and fixed communication in Moldova to be able to have their phone numbers ported within 5 days since a date of the application. This is provided by the Technical and Commercial Conditions for Introduction of Phone Number Portability in Moldova. The document was approved by the Administrative Board of the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technologies and came into effect. Portability of numbers is a service which gives subscribers an opportunity to keep their phone numbers if they decide to change a provider.

Unlike some other countries, in Moldova this service will be free. If a subscriber decides to refuse services provided by a donor provider in favour of other provider, called acceptor provider, the subscriber may have his number ported without being billed by the donor. Direct number portability expenses are born by the acceptor. After registration of the request, the acceptor has to ensure its execution.

It is up to the subscriber to decide in what period of time his number will be ported. It may take 5 days or longer, but can not be more than 30 days. The subscriber can to recall his request no later than the working day preceding a date of the execution. The subscriber is notified that his number has been ported by the acceptor through the client support service and other means of communication, such as a telephone, e-mail, SMS.

Since a phone number ported is not anymore associated with this or that mobile network, ANRCETI obliged providers initiating dialups to warn subscribers through a special tone or a voice message that a phone number they dial has been ported to other network. Users will be able to find out what provider a number has been ported to through the site of the administrator of the central data base.

Technical and commercial conditions for introduction of phone number portability were developed by the administrator of the central data base in partnership with the working group that includes representatives of providers of fixed and mobile communications and officials of ANRCETI.

The document sets forth technological phases of the process of porting phone numbers, responsibilities of providers and the administrator of the central data base, was and procedures of settling accounts between providers and the administrator and characteristics of quality of the service.

In line with the resolution by ANRCETI, providers, involved in the process of introduction of phone number portability have to revise contracts on direct and indirect interconnection and conclude phone number portability contracts with the administrator of the central data base within a month.