• Home
  • >
  • Blog
  • >
  • What's next for number porting?

What's next for number porting?

The Federation of Communication Services (FCS), the Trade Association for the communication services sector, urges Ofcom to rapidly analyse the costs and ensure the benefits outweigh the costs following Ofcom’s announcement on Monday 13 October that it has set aside its policy for a new number portability regime. Ofcom is reviewing its policy for the UK following the successful competition appeal by Vodafone.

Dave Dadds, chairman of the FCS VoIP Group speaking at the FCS Comms Provider event today said, “ Ofcom’s proposal for a Central Data Base of numbers is central to an efficient customer migration process for fixed and mobile services and should be introduced as soon as practicable. Number portability via the database with direct routing is an important step in creating a truly competitive market place. The UK does not want to fall behind internationally because it cannot get its act together.”

FCS members have identified major problems with the current number portability processes. Fixed line processes are cumbersome, error prone and can take too long. Mobile companies seeking to enter the mobile market cannot yet port a mobile number with all of the larger mobile operators.

“We urge Ofcom to work with industry, to set reasonable timescales that will reduce the cost barriers and involve UK plc and the consumer. We urge industry to come together in a collective forum once again and agree cost effective processes that will be of benefit to every company”, concluded Dave Dadds.

http://commsbusiness.co.uk/Latest_News.cfm