(Ecofin Agency) - In about two weeks, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) will unveil the names of the two companies that will compete with Ethio Telecom in the national telecom market. As a prelude to this liberalization launched in 2019, the regulator is preparing many tools that will help provide a quality telecom service to the population.

ECA has submitted a draft of four strategic documents to the various players in the national telecom sector for assessment and improvement. These are mobile number portability, national roaming of wholesale telecommunications, and universal access to telecom service as well as the Universal Access Fund.

In the few African countries that have already adopted it, mobile number portability empowers consumers. While keeping their mobile number, subscribers can change telecom operators.

The legal framework on national wholesale telecommunications roaming will make it possible to define a fair telecom tariff for call routing between operators. This tariff will then define the cost of inter-operator voice and SMS services that consumers will pay.

The legal texts governing universal access to telecom service and the Universal Access Fund will contribute to the financing of telecom network extension throughout the country to make access possible for the greatest number of people. The public consultation which constitutes the framework within which the ECA receives the opinions of the actors of the telecom sector ends on October 30, 2020.