A new era begins for nearly 64 million mobile phone users in Turkey, as the new system allows consumers to keep their mobile numbers when they switch operators.

Users who switch their numbers to another operator will not be charged for using the system. The number switching process will take four to six days to complete once they have submitted their application.

The implementation is likely to enhance competition between the three GSM operators in Turkey, Turkcell, Vodafone and Avea, with 7 million subscribers expected to switch operators.

Deepening competition
Competition between the companies has already heated up. Although it is forbidden, all operators launch new campaigns to attract users as well as race against each other to grab subscribers from their rivals.

Meanwhile, the GSM market is predicted to grow by 15 percent during the first year of the new system and the number of consumer campaigns is expected to increase rapidly.

The system is an important move in terms of increasing competition in the sector, according to Murat Dursun, chairman of the Mobile Communication Systems and Tools Businessmen’s Association, or MOBİSAD.

“The system will enable users to receive better services for lower prices. The system will force operators to focus primarily on keeping their existing subscribers. A survey on the topic, however, showed that more than half of Turkey’s mobile phone users are misinformed about number portability,” said Dursun.

If users of the system are not satisfied with their new operator, they will be able to switch to another one. The system is expected to force operators to lower prices in the “customer grabbing race.”

New offers from operators
Although it is illegal, in the midst of the changes, the GSM operators launch campaigns and special offers in the hope of keeping existing customers as well as luring in subscribers to other operators.

Turkcell, Turkey’s biggest GSM operator with 36.3 million subscribers, launched a “free calls for two days” campaign, which will be available to the first million contract users who apply by SMS between Nov. 8 and Dec. 28

Vodafone, Turkey’s second largest operator with 17.5 million subscribers, said it would announce new campaigns and special offers in the coming days.

In addition to its existing tariffs, Avea, which has 11 million subscribers, promised to provide a new