Faster Mobile Phone Number Porting On The Cards
Faster Mobile Phone Number Porting On The Cards
3rd August, 2009
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UK : The time it takes to transfer your mobile phone number when you switch provider could be slashed under new Ofcom proposals. Ofcom has already reduced the time it takes to transfer a mobile number from five days to two working days and the UK has shorter porting times than many European countries.
But Ofcom wants to make this process - known as porting - even faster and easier for consumers and businesses. Our research shows that 71% of customers consider it important to keep their number when switching mobile provider. Faster porting Today’s consultation sets out options for faster porting including completing the process within two hours or within one working day. Currently, if a customer wants to switch provider but keep their phone number, they have to contact their original provider - usually by phone - to request a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) which they then give to their new mobile provider.
The consultation seeks views on whether to continue with the current arrangement or to change this to a more immediate process managed by the customer’s new provider. This would mean that customers can avoid the inconvenience of obtaining a PAC from their original provider. Simplifying call routing A separate consultation also published today sets out proposals to simplify the way that calls between mobiles to ported numbers are routed. Currently a call to a ported number is first routed to the communication provider that was originally allocated the mobile phone number. The call is then transferred to the customer’s new provider. But simplifying this process could save the industry around £26 million over ten years which could then be passed on to consumers. Ofcom aims to have any new porting process arrangements in place during 2011 and any changes to call routing in place by the end of 2012.
Consumer guide Ofcom’s Chief Executive Ed Richards said: 'Ofcom would like to see easier, faster and more convenient processes to enable consumers to keep their number when they switch mobile provider. 'Our proposals take a fresh look at this issue to ensure that consumers are getting the most from their mobile service.' Nearly a third of people in the UK have switched mobile provider in the last two years. But our research shows that 35% of people are unaware of their right to keep their mobile phone number when switching.
If you want to learn more about the process take a look at our short consumer guide to switching mobile provider. The two consultations close on26 October 2009 and can be found here: Review of the porting process Consultation on routing proposals. Ofcom’s consultation takes account of the European Commission’s recent proposals for porting times to come down to one working day.
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