News
Issue #2003 - 11 (March 2003)
(Updated Mar. 31, 2003)

INFRASTRUCTURE, PRODUCTS & SERVICES

FCC Expected to Enforce Number Portability Deadline

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is expected to enforce a November 24 deadline by which wireless operators must implement number portability - enabling customers to keep their cell phone numbers when they change service providers. Some consumer advocates and telecom analysts expect number portability to increase competition in the wireless industry where about 30 percent of customers change carriers on a regular basis. While working to meet the FCC's deadline, wireless operators, for the most part, have expressed opposition to number portability, which will cost them as much as $1 billion industry-wide in the first year alone. Industry trade group CTIA will head to court next month to represent the operators' positions. Meanwhile, some analysts expect that wireless operators will charge a fee when a customer keeps the cell phone number when they change providers. The fee would be designed to cover part of the cost to make that happen. Other analysts expect operators to provide number portability for free.

Source: Reuters
For more information: http://www.reuters.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory:  From consumer's point of view, number portability is a very desirable thing. It is not the cost of "making it happen" that is stopping the industry from doing it. It is their belief that this will encourage customer switchover to their competitors. When industry puts up artificial barriers against the customers, it is the vendors that lose. Charging a reasonable fee (equivalent to setup fee - around $25.00) is a fairly satisfactory solution for both the carriers and customers.

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