Malta praised for 'one-day' switching of telecom providers

EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding has applauded the efficiency by which Maltese consumers are able to switch telecom providers of both fixed and mobile services.

Ms Reding said Malta was only one of two member states where it was possible for people to switch their fixed or mobile service provider, keeping their same number, in just one day. The other member state is Ireland.

"Maltese consumers are very well served in this sector and we want the entire EU to imitate Malta," Ms Reding said.

She made the remarks in a message she forwarded to MEPs who are discussing a Commission proposal to make the one-day switch-over a rule in the EU.

While consumers in all 27 member states currently have the right to change their fixed and mobile phone operator while keeping their number, some face a wait of two to three weeks.

According to Brussels, on average across the EU it takes 8.5 days for a mobile number to be ported and 7.5 days for a fixed number.

Ms Reding said Europe should be ambitious when it came to empowering consumers because this was the best recipe for strong competition on the market.

She said that since 2003, when a common European rule came into place allowing consumers to switch mobile or fixed operator while keeping their phone number, almost 24 million fixed and 60.2 million mobile numbers have been moved by consumers. However, she said that efficiency was still a big problem.

"In some European countries, it still takes very long for your mobile phone number to be really transferred to your new operator. You are very lucky if you are an Irish or Maltese consumer, because in these countries, you can do this within one day only. However, Polish and Italian consumers, I'm afraid to say, are not so fortunate. It takes 38 days to take your mobile phone number to a different operator in Poland, and 15 days in Italy,' she complained.

She described this as an intolerable situation that should be rectified through the new rules proposed by the Commission.