Earlier this year, the ministry presented new plans to reduce the amount of time it takes to switch mobile phone providers to 15 minutes in a bid to curb anti-competitive practices.

Each year in Estonia, nearly 70,000 number porting processes, where users want to take their existing number to another provider, are left uncompleted.

The ministry says the lengthy period, up to a week, required to transfer a number, is a major factor here.

Although the updated draft will enter the consultation phase this week, it no longer includes the 15-minute clause.

Aivar Pau, communications adviser at the Ministry of Justice, told ERR this is still the long-term goal, but, after negotiations with telecom companies, the ministry will move forward in stages.

"The main reason for such a solution is the currently widespread fraud schemes and issues directly related to people's safety. Unfortunately, we see that if number portability took place in real time, meaning in 15 minutes, a fraudster using stolen PIN codes could transfer a person's number and digital identity to a new operator before the real owner even notices the attack," Pau said.

For that reason, he said, a security buffer will be created that obliges the current operator to notify the customer and gives the customer a real opportunity to stop the process in the event of fraud.

"This additional layer of control is critically important in the current cyber environment to protect unsuspecting people from SIM card hijacking in situations where PIN codes are already in the attacker's possession," Pau added.

The new system will take effect on November 1, and numbers will be switched within one working day.

"This is a very significant leap compared with the current system, because right now transferring a number takes four to six days, and the shorter period will eliminate the operators' current long buffer period for making under-the-counter offers," Pau said.

As the changes are coming into effect, there is no longer any need to change the law, and the new procedure will be established directly by regulation.

At the same time, a new number reservation database is being created by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.

"It is critically important that by November 1 this year, this updated database must be fully completed and all telecom companies must have successfully joined it," Pau added.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!