Numbering

Number Portability

Individual consumers or businesses wishing to change service providers in order to take advantage of improved pricing, broader product ranges or improved quality of service have typically come up against a number of barriers which potentially made switching providers time-consuming and expensive. This has often resulted in consumers not opting to use alternative suppliers at all.

One of the most significant barriers to competition was the historical need for subscribers to change numbers when changing service providers. For business users in particular, in addition to the costs of amending stationery and promotional material, and of informing clients and suppliers of the change, a distinctive and recognisable telephone number is often a core brand asset which they do not wish to lose.

With this in mind, many National Regulatory Authorities have mandated the introduction of Number Portability (NP) as a pro-competitive policy applying to both fixed-line and mobile sectors. To date, most regimes have only required NP between similar services, e.g. fixed-line to fixed-line or mobile to mobile, though it is likely that some will in due course follow the example of the United States in requiring number portability between fixed-line and mobile networks. Related products are Carrier Selection (CS) and Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) which permit subscribers to established network operators to choose an alternative service provider by dialling a call-by-call prefix (CS) or by opting to route all calls by default to the network of an alternative operator (CPS). This does not exclude the opportunity of also using the established network operator’s own services.

InterConnect Communications' numbering specialists can support national regulators, incumbent or competing operators in the development and successful implementation of Number Portability policies and associated regulatory mechanisms, for both fixed-line and mobile markets. We have extensive experience in supporting regulators in the process of considering, implementing or amending Number Portability and with the implementation of a Number Portability Guidelines and/or policy, gained across Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.

We have similar, complementary experience of supporting incumbent and competing operators in the process of discussing, implementing or amending NP regulation, and can also advise on the implementation of CS/CPS requirements.