VoIP switches and pre-paid applications provider, World Telecom Labs (WTL), announced that it has developed a 'Text To Change' service to assist Nigeria’s Mobile Number Portability (MNP) programme.

MNP in the West African country was established by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to enable people to keep their existing mobile numbers when they switch to a different mobile operator.

The WTL was appointed by the Interconnect Clearing House Nigeria (ICN), one of the country's interconnect exchange carriers, to develop the Text To Change service.

The ICN is leading the MNP initiative in that country.

According to the Belgium-based company Text To Change enables people in Nigeria to text their provider to notify their intention to switch to another provider. This text then sparks actions by the old and new provider to transition both the number and the customer’s account.

ICN’s project leader for MNP, Johnson Farotimi said, “Mobile Number Portability has been a long time coming in Nigeria. It is a large, complex and very high profile initiative which must succeed. Giving Nigerians the ability to request porting via text messages rather than some long-winded, bureaucratic system is one of the founding conditions of the MNP scheme. Ease and convenience for the subscriber are vital to the success of the project.

Text To Change messages will pass through ICN’s existing WTL SoIP SS7 Gateway which connects to all the legacy mobile switches used by Nigeria’s principal operators.

Leigh Smith, managing director of WTL said, "It is now easier for people in Nigeria to switch carriers than in any other country I have visited. This was a tricky project but our engineers worked hard to develop a system which is reliable. We are always happy to turn our hand to new challenges like this. Text To Change is also available to operators outside Nigeria and should be on the radar of regulators around the world."