Thailand MNP testing to begin

Mobile number portability (MNP) systems in Thailand will begin testing by Sept. 1, according to a statement from Clearing House for Number Portability Co., a joint venture of five mobile operators – AIS, DTAC, True, CAT and TOT.

Commercial MNP services could be up and running by December 2010, Premon Pinsakul, chairman of Clearing House, said, based on a roughly typical testing period of four months in other countries, TeleGeography CommsUpdate reported citing the country’s The Nation publication.

However, the National Telecommunications Commission has warned operators that they will be fined per day for failing to meet the official Sept. 1 deadline to begin offering MNP services to customers.

The report said cellcos will consider legal action if the regulator imposes fines on them, after repeatedly protesting that the deadline was too tight. The commission has declined operators' requests to push the MNP launch date back to the end of the year.