Legal approval for Number portability service in Sri Lanka.

One year ago, we reported that the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) was preparing to introduce Number portability facilities to Sri Lanka, and the concept of Number portability was first introduced to Sri Lanka a year ago.

This means that if a phone number is currently being used by someone, it will be available on all mobile phone service networks without changing the number. Accordingly, your existing phone number will be a common number system for identifying existing network codes (070, 071, 072, 075, 077, 076, 078) and will be able to use any connection to it. Mobile phone service providers have also agreed to this.

Subsequently, our report in March stated that the facility would be operational in Sri Lanka in October this year.

• Oshadha Senanayake, who is currently the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), has stated that the legislation required for number portability in Sri Lanka has been finalized and has received legal approval.

• Accordingly, TRCSL has instructed mobile service providers to create a central database that should include the data of all existing mobile service subscribers.

• Providing further information, Mr. Oshadha stated that the service is expected to be operational by 2022.