This paper introduces
the concept of number portability, explains its different types and benefits,
and the technical, operational, and economic issues that might arise out of its
implementation in India. The specific issues such as ensuring tariff
transparency, the National Numbering Plan, and regulating porting charges, etc.
have been raised and will need careful consideration. Number Portability will
allow subscribers to change their service provider while retaining their old
mobile number. Portability benefits subscribers and increases the level of
competition between service providers, rewarding service providers with the
best customer service, network coverage, and service quality.
Number portability is
a circuit-switch telecommunications network feature that enables end users to
retain their telephone numbers when changing service providers, service types,
and/or locations. When fully implemented nation wide by wireline and wireless
providers, portability will remove one of the most significant deterrents to
changing service, providing unprecedented convenience for consumers, and encouraging
unrestrained competition in the telecommunications industry.
Mobile number
portability (MNP) requires that mobile telephone customers can keep their
telephone number–including the prefix–when switching from one provider of
mobile telecommunications services to another. In the absence of MNP, customers
have to give up their number and must adopt a new one when they switch
operators. As a result, customers face switching costs associated with
informing people about changing their number, printing new business cards,
missing valuable calls from people that do not have the new number, etc. Based
on these considerations, many regulatory authorities have imposed mandatory
MNP–or are about to require its introduction–so as to reduce customers’
switching costs, attempting to make mobile telecommunications more competitive.
The world’s first
country to introduce MNP was Singapore in 1997, followed by the UK, Hong Kong
and the Netherlands in 1999. As of 2003, a number of other countries, Especially
in Europe, require MNP.
The
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (TA 96) tore down most of the significant
barriers to unfettered competition in telecommunications. However, the
inability of end users to retain their telephone numbers when changing service
providers or types could potentially dissuade consumers from making such a
change, threatening to hinder industry competition and growth. Congress’
addition of Section 251 (b)(2) to TA 96 addressed this obstacle by defining
number portability, requiring that all carriers deploy it, and setting
deadlines for implementation. FCC Docket No. 95-116 (In the Matter of Telephone
Number Portability) and subsequent FCC orders and reconsiderations reinforced
Congress’ mandate and set the machinery in motion to implement number
portability.
The actions of both
Congress and the FCC enabled consumers and businesses to choose new providers,
services, and locales while retaining their phone numbers, thereby fostering
competition in the telecommunications industry. To ensure standardization
across platforms for all participants, the FCC instructed the North American
Numbering Council (NANC) to determine which number portability method to
employ. Several options were investigated. The location routing number (LRN)
method was chosen because it appeared to be the most efficient and is now
successfully implemented in the wire line environment. The NANC then created
the Local Number Portability Working Group (LNPA-WG) and empowered it to select
the appropriate technology, create standards, determine operational processes,
and develop and implement a deployment strategy. To fulfill its
responsibilities, the LNPA-WG was granted the authority to convene appropriate
subcommittees as needed. Subcommittees created include the National Number
Pooling and Slow Horse groups, as well as the Wireless Number Portability
subcommittee, which defines integration issues between the wireless and the
wireline industries. NeuStar was named the Number Portability Administrator and
operates the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC).
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