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Portable Cellular Numbers. Opinions?

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by rob1150

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I have been following something that might be of interest to some of us. The FCC has created an ordinance to require cellular phone companies to allow you to keep your same phone number when you change carriers, this is going into effect this November. However the cellular industry has been fighting this tooth and nail talking about the cost, and that the industry is already competitive enough. I have very little sympathy for the woes of big business, especially after WorldCom, Enron, Tyco etc, etc. I think that the cellular companies realize that having portable numbers will make it easier for customers to leave them and move on when they have been experiencing poor service, (i.e. ME at Sprint PCS) and that when people dont have to betied down to a company because they have given the number out to 200 people, that this would generate REAL competition between carriers. There is an article in the NY Times website today, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/16/technology/16CELL.html

Does anyone have any thoughts?

7 replies

by areets

As has occurred in Europe and it can only increase the potential to offer better customer service.

Yes, I am also following the events. The US operators must fight that number portability off to ensure a strong end year drive to retain a market share for the high valued data services.

If operators are allowed to force users to change number then yes, businesses will not be willing to change the mobile numbers that they have had for at least two years. The stakes are high and operators see profit but the NRAs must focus on competition.

The EU telcos have not escape, but the industry's Telcos have continued the fight in the US.

For the customer and the sector's competition I dod hope the FCC rules in favour of number portability.

TSP

by guruofdos

the US is WAY behind the rest of the world!

My telephone number allows someone to call ME, not my friends three doors down or someone in France. The number belongs to ME as it uniquely identifies my mobile, regardless of what network I'm on! And more obviously, anyone anywhere in the world can reach me on my mobile phone regardless of which country they are in, whether they are on a fixed line or mobile. I change networks on a regular basis, as each of the 5 UK companies tries to better eachothers deals and I always take my number with me as the law allows here. I also have an 07000 number which is truly 'portable'...I just have to log on to the companys web-site and tell them where I want my calls to that number forwarded to...home, office, friends house or other location. It also forwards faxes and data calls to any number or numbers I chose.

One day not too far off, I predict we will all be issued with a number at birth, like the US Social Security Number, and that will be a unique personal identifier for all kinds of communications. Phones as we know them now will not have 'numbers' as such...you'll just log on in some way to let the system know who the phone can reach and calls will be routed by identifier!

by jackofalltech

I also wish you didn't have to buy a new phone just because you switch carriers. Why can't they make them with some kind of flashable ROM so when you switch carriers, you can just re-program your phone? I love my phone but think I'm paying too much for the service.

Ralph

by guruofdos

In the USA, all mobile phones work on 1900MHz band except a few that still use 900MHz GSM. When you change provider, just get a new SIM card and keep the old phone! Better still, if you get a tri-band phone (900, 1800 and 1900MHz), it will work on any network, anywhere in the world! This is precisely WHY phones use SIM cards...as well as storing your address book and personal data, they also have YOUR phone number and network data. I have three or four phones from over the last 8 years or so, and my latest SIM works in all of them...handy if I flatten a battery and need to make a call...just swap the SIM to another phone with a good battery!

by mozstelios

chaefer, as Guros says that is what the SIm is for. To allow you to use it in any phone. But I guess your problem is that you might have gone nto those "deals" offered by some providers, where they offer you the phone for a $0.00 but you are required to use their network at least for a pre-defined period of time. after that you can decide to go your way. But if you buy your phone, not tied to a provider, then you can use SIM cards from different providers on the same phone (one at a time off course :) ).

Cheers

by mozstelios

I believe that this is the only way to establish true competition in the telecom market. The fact that one can't keep phone number when switching provider is a deterrent for users to move from a bad service provider to a new one. The FCC should not listen to providers arguments, such as huge implementation costs. This argument is used in Mozambique (an developing country), where they have passed a bill requiring providers to set number portability features. But this bill has a huge hole on it, because one paragraph says "only if economically feasible"..and for god's sake it is a shame to see this same argument in the USA.

Cheers

by guruofdos

In the UK we have personal numbers. They are 8 digit numbers prefixed with 07000 and were introduced because thanks to modems, fax machines and alarm systems, under the old numbering system, the UK would run out of available phone numbers by 2005.

All cellular numbers in the UK are also prefixed by 07xxx and the three digits following the 07 are network dependent, so for example 07900 is Vodafone, 07811 is Cellnet. There are moves afoot to make these numbers portable, and indeed cellular companies here are now saying you can bring your old number with you when you change network.

Using a personal number you can have a number which is issued to you for life. There are 56 million people in the UK, and an 8 digit number gives plenty of room for expansion. By registering for a personal number, that is the only number you ever have to give to anybody, ever! You then use a web-service or SMS or even a normal phone to set up redirection. No matter where you are, by redirecting to a mobile phone, a friends house or the office, anyone can reach you using simply your personal number. If you change cellular phone, all you need to do is set up a new redirection number. It also works for faxes!

Information can be found at www.yac.co.uk

YAC stands for You're Always Connected.

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