Research Of Mobile Number Portability Regulation

In May 2008, China Government announced a telecom restructuring to merge the original six telecom operators into three full-service operators. In the new market structure, China Mobile is in the absolute competition superiority, China Unicom and China Telecom can't effectively compete with it. In view of this imbalance in the market, it is pressing to formulate and implement asymmetric policies so as to shape an effectively competitive market structure in a relatively short term. Among these regulations, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is an important method that the government is considering about. Implementation of MNP protects consumer rights and interests, saves the number resources, boosts the development and application of new technology and improves fair competition. Under such circumstances, it's significant to research on MNP.This thesis first gives a brief introduction on MNP and its technical specifications. It deeply studies on MNP practices carried out in global telecom market, including their implemental areas, implemental conditions and implemental effects in typical countries and areas, which provide references for MNP in China. Then it reviewes relevant principle on MNP research, make economic feasibility analyse and quantitative evaluation of MNP in China, based on this, discuss the social welfare and cost-benefts introduced by MNP. Finally, the thesis analyzes the necessary of implement MNP in China and proposes feasible policy suggestions about MNP.