The introduction of number portability in Guyana is a milestone in the nation’s telecoms industry. The highly touted service, which allows users to take their phone number when switching providers, is a straight-out result of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s bold liberalisation of the sector in October 2020.

Not only ending the monopoly after three decades, this policy action has also opened up unprecedented consumer empowerment and competitive forces in the marketplace.
The liberalisation of the telecoms sector by the PPP/C government was nothing short of revolutionary.

By enacting the Telecommunications Act 2016 and the Public Utilities Commission Act 2016, the government put to rest the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph’s (GTT) 31-year monopoly in a span of a few months after it came to power.
The action brought Guyana’s telecoms regulation in line with international standards, spurring competition and innovation, and providing tangible advantages to consumers in terms of better services, lower prices, and more choices.
The introduction of number portability is a fulfillment of the government’s promise to enhance consumer rights.

Guyanese users lived in bondage to sub-standard services due to the hassle of having to change phone numbers when switching providers over many years.
Today, thanks to this new service offered across principal providers such as Digicel, ENet, and One Communications, users finally get to take charge of their telecoms options.

The process is easy and quick, with mobile porting accomplished in a day’s time and fixed-line porting in five working days. The sector has been growing explosively in the liberalisation’s aftermath. The investments of private players surged by a whopping 40 per cent between 2020 to 2023, even broadband subscription recorded a steep surge.

The laying of three submarine fibre-optic cables has also boosted internet capacity and resilience, keeping Guyana competitive in the digital age.
This progress is a reflection of the vision of the PPP/C government for national progress. By ending monopoly and inviting in competition, they not only brought telecoms to the modern age, but also set a new transparency and inclusion benchmark in government.

The liberalisation of telecoms is a cornerstone of this government’s legacy—a visible indicator of their ability to follow up on commitments that work for all Guyanese.

As number portability is launched, it is more than a technical milestone; it is a beacon of a more consumer-friendly economy.
The milestone is a reminder that visionary policy decisions can deliver transformative outcomes, making Guyana a telecoms leader in our region.