1. 1 Number portability procedures in Bulgaria Yana Grozeva Communications Regulation Commission TAIEX Workshop TAIEX Workshop Barcelona 09 -10 June 2011

2. 2 General Requirements Number portability (NP) to be offered by all operators Number portability (NP) to be offered by all operators Types of numbers subject to NP Types of numbers subject to NP - geographic -non-geographic - personal number services – 700 - premium rate services – 900 - free phone services - 800 - mobile (GSM/UMTS) Porting within the same type of numbers only Porting within the same type of numbers only

3. 3 Portability process in Bulgaria Portability launched as follows: Portability launched as follows: Mobile (MNP)  April 2008 Geographic (FNP)  July 2009 Non-geographic (NgNP)  August 2010 Ported numbers until the end of January 2011: Ported numbers until the end of January 2011: 139 377 ported mobile numbers  1,3% of the total number of subscribers 60 337 ported geographic numbers  2,5% of the total number of subscribers 1 ported non-geographic number

4. 4 Ported mobile and geographic numbers

5. 5 Legal framework Electronic Communications Act – Art. 134 Electronic Communications Act – Art. 134 Functional specifications (FSs) - secondary legislative acts, stipulating: Functional specifications (FSs) - secondary legislative acts, stipulating: - technical conditions for porting of the respective types of numbers; - the methods applicable to porting of numbers; - rules regarding data bases; - obligations of the donor and recipient operators and criteria to refuse porting of numbers; - procedures for porting of the respective types of numbers, including the time periods therein; - pricing rules and cost allocation.

6. 6 Other documents related to the NP process Number portability procedures – common agreements between the obliged operators Number portability procedures – common agreements between the obliged operators Respective sections of the General terms and conditions of end user contracts Respective sections of the General terms and conditions of end user contracts Interconnection agreements Interconnection agreements

7. 7 Start of MNP and FNP Start of MNP and FNP Applied administrative procedure – two-stop shop Subscriber Web based communication Certificate Request for porting Donor Operator Recipient Operator

8. 8 Start of MNP and FNP (2) Applied routing method – ACQ or OR Applied routing method – ACQ or OR All call query - Routing of a call directly from the originating network to the correct terminating network Onward routing - The network originally associated with the called number identifies the correct terminating network and routes the call onward to that network Within its own network, each operator is free to use the preferred call routing method Within its own network, each operator is free to use the preferred call routing method

9. 9 Start of MNP and FNP (3) Distributed database Message exchange channels Message exchange channels

10. 10 Start of MNP and FNP (4) Timescale for porting. Porting window MNP MNP Porting procedure: up to 10 working days Portability window: max. 7 hour FNP FNP Porting procedure: - single number: up to 15 working days - group of numbers (e.g. DDI ranges): up to 25 working days - group of numbers (e.g. DDI ranges): up to 25 working days Portability window: max. 8 hours Portability window: max. 8 hours

11. 11 Start of MNP and FNP (5) Each operator has to pay its own set-up costs.Each operator has to pay its own set-up costs. The donor operator may claim a wholesale charge from the recipient operator for porting a number.The donor operator may claim a wholesale charge from the recipient operator for porting a number. The wholesale charge for porting a single mobile number amounted to 11 €, and for a single geographic number – to 12,5 €. Conveyance prices are specified in the number portability procedures - 1,5 €cents/min.Conveyance prices are specified in the number portability procedures - 1,5 €cents/min. Retail price – collected by the donor operator - 2,5 €.Retail price – collected by the donor operator - 2,5 €.

12. 12 Start of MNP and FNP (6) Restrictions on portability The operators had to have numbers granted for use within a geographic area code and to actively operate within that area in order to be capable to participate in the portability of geographic numbers for the relevant code.

13. 13 Start of MNP and FNP (7) Restrictions on portability (2) Exclusion from the portability obligation of geographic numbers served by analogue exchanges and by digital exchanges, which are not adequately equipped for supporting portability functions.

14. 14 Portability Evolution 2010 Disadvantages of two-stop shop procedure: Disadvantages of two-stop shop procedure: - Complex, slow and burdensome procedure for the end users - Opportunities for win back Transition to one-stop shop procedure – August 2010 Transition to one-stop shop procedure – August 2010 The recipient operator is obliged to: The recipient operator is obliged to: - coordinate the administrative process for porting a number - act on behalf of the end user in the relations with the donor operator The donor operator has to respond to a porting request, either by accepting or rejecting it, within 2 working days at the latest The donor operator has to respond to a porting request, either by accepting or rejecting it, within 2 working days at the latest

15. 15 Portability Evolution 2010 (2) Timescale for porting. Porting window MNP MNP Porting procedure: up to 7 working days Portability window: max. 7 hour FNP FNP Porting procedure: Porting procedure: - single number: up to 7 working days - group of numbers:up to 10 working days - group of numbers:up to 10 working days Portability window: max. 8 hours Portability window: max. 8 hours NgNP NgNP Porting procedure: up to 10 working days Portability window: max. 7 hour

16. 16 Portability Evolution 2010 (3) Reduction of the wholesale charges Reduction of the wholesale charges Applicable wholesale charges : Applicable wholesale charges : - MNP: 9.2 € - MNP: 9.2 € - FNP: 9.2 € (discount of 20% applies for porting of a group of at least 300 numbers) - FNP: 9.2 € (discount of 20% applies for porting of a group of at least 300 numbers) - NgNP : 15 € - NgNP : 15 € Fading away of retail charging Fading away of retail charging Although retail charges may be levied by the recipient operator, under the one-stop shop procedure they have not become common practice. Although retail charges may be levied by the recipient operator, under the one-stop shop procedure they have not become common practice.

17. 17 Portability evolution 2010 (4) Voiding the requirement for operators to have numbers granted for use within a geographic area code in order to be capable to participate in the portability of geographic numbers for the relevant code. Voiding the requirement for operators to have numbers granted for use within a geographic area code in order to be capable to participate in the portability of geographic numbers for the relevant code. Voiding the exclusions from the portability obligation – the technical obstacles have been removed for porting of geographic numbers, served by analogue exchanges and by digital exchanges unequipped for supporting number portability functions. Voiding the exclusions from the portability obligation – the technical obstacles have been removed for porting of geographic numbers, served by analogue exchanges and by digital exchanges unequipped for supporting number portability functions.

18. 18 Portability evolution 2010 (5) Procedure for porting back of improperly ported out numbers - Supplement to the number portability procedures; - Targeted result of the procedure – prompt porting back of numbers which have been improperly ported out; - The procedure comprises the swift communication between the donor and recipient operators and the user of the number; - Within a short term, relations are established to settle issues related to numbers ported by mistake, at requests submitted by persons without power of attorney, as well as to ported numbers for which there exist irremediable grounds for refusal; - For the period of incorrect porting, the customer shall be exempt from fees payable to the recipient provider.

19. 19 Specific issues Automatic extension of the duration of contracts concluded with end users - One month prior to the expiry of a contract, the subscriber can terminate it by notice; - In case of unsubmitted notice, the contract is extended for another period under the same terms and conditions. This practice, although it is consistent with the legislation in force, acts as impediment to number portability; - Recently, it called forth the intervention of CRC and the sector regulatory authority in the area of customer protection; - Expedient legislative amendments are pending.

20. 20 Specific issues (2) Information for a ported number - The holder of a ported out number is obliged to inform his own subscribers in case of a call to such a number; - The information is provided immediately prior to connecting the call in the form of an approved by CRC distinct and uniform signal indicating that the called number has been ported out; - Aim of the obligation - ensuring appropriate tariff transparency.

21. 21 Specific issues (2) - continued Information for a ported number The prior notification signal is not applied in NgNP because of the specifics of the non-geographic numbers.

22. 22 Specific issues (3) Resolution of disputes between operators related to the terms of NP procedures In case of a dispute, CRC has powers to issue a binding statement - In case of a dispute, CRC has powers to issue a binding statement - The binding statements of CRC were substantial for creation of effective NP procedures

23. 23 Specific issues (4) Interconnection agreements with respect to numbers for premium rate services of the 900 range

24. 24 Open issues Negotiations between the operators for creating and maintaining a centralized database Negotiations between the operators for creating and maintaining a centralized database Attempt to establish а consortium between the operators from all NP domains Attempt to establish а consortium between the operators from all NP domains Proposal for even distribution of the project costs among the consortium partners Proposal for even distribution of the project costs among the consortium partners

25. 25 Open issues (2) Regulatory issues related to ported numbers in the event the holder of the pertinent range of numbers leaves the respective portability domain

26. 26 Lessons learned Communication with the operators is of vital importance Communication with the operators is of vital importance Selecting best regulatory practices related to the number portability process Selecting best regulatory practices related to the number portability process Ensuring the provision of accessible to the end users information on the number portability procedures Ensuring the provision of accessible to the end users information on the number portability procedures

27. 27 Thank you! Thank you! Yana Grozeva ygrozeva@crc.bg www.crc.bg