CWTA to Implement Canadian Number Portability

[Barry]

MOD EDIT:

Canadian Wireless Number Portability should come into play in one week -- March 14th, 2007. No word what kind of crazy deals are going to come out. So far it appears the move will be very very quiet.


The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) is pleased to announce that Canada's wireless carriers have agreed to implement number portability in Canada, and have begun the planning efforts required to achieve this result. Number portability will enable Canada's wireless customers to keep the same phone number when changing service providers within the same local serving area. Consistent with the Government of Canada's definition ofwireless number portability, customers will also be able to keep the same phone number when transferring their landline phone service to wireless service and vice versa.

In support of the recent Federal budget directive to move expeditiously to implement wireless number portability, the CWTA will contract an independent consultant to complete a comprehensive project plan outlining specific milestones for this process. It is expected that number portabilitly will come into effect by September 1, 2005. Upon approval of the plan and agreement on a common start date, it is the intention of CWTA and the wireless carriers to begin the implementation of the plan. The implementation of number portability is a massive and complex undertaking. This initial planning stage is critical to ensure that Canadians are not burdened with the significant implementation challenges that were faced by customers in other countries. Government representatives will be invited to observe this process and to assist where appropriate.

The wireless industry looks forward to continuing to provide Canada's 15 million wireless phone subscribers with the world class services they have come to expect from Canada's wireless carriers.

CWTA is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents cellular, PCS, messaging, mobile radio, fixed wireless and mobile satellite carriers as well as companies that develop and produce products and services for the industry. Included is the likes of: Aliant Mobility, Bell Mobility, Bruce Municipal Telephone System, MTS Mobility, Rogers Wireless (including Fido), SaskTel Mobility, Sogetel Mobilit?, T?l?bec Mobilit?, TBayTel Mobility and TELUS Mobility.

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[Mod]

It's official, the CWTA has submitted plans to be reviewed by industry stakeholders and government officials. The report, completed by the global firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) earlier this month, examined the hundreds of technical, inter-carrier and regulatory tasks and issues that need to be addressed in order for telecommunications companies to offer number portability. After a full review of the report by the CWTA's WNP Task Force, the group has identified mid-2007 as the timeframe for a pilot trial to begin testing WNP in a limited area. WNP, which will enable customers to transfer phone numbers between wireless service providers and also between landline and wireless service, is set to be available on a national basis in September 2007.

Unlike the "phased-in" approach adopted by some other jurisdictions where WNP was introduced in different geographic areas over an extended period of time, WNP in Canada will become available to the vast majority of consumers and enterprise customers from coast to coast at the same time. The WNP Task Force believes this is a significant implementation strategy that will offer an equitable, smooth and reliable introduction of the new service for all Canadians.

The target implementation date that has been identified by the wireless industry is contingent upon the timely resolution of a number of outstanding issues, and the full cooperation of Canada's telecommunications sector. However, the WNP Task Force will begin the implementation process immediately and will provide progress updates as warranted.

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[bellmod]

Want to put in your two-cents about number portability? Like it or hate it, you can voice your opinion with the CRTC.


Other parties wishing to participate in this proceeding are required to notify the Commission of their intention to do so by 26 September 2005 (the registration date) and to provide their contact information. They are required to do so by contacting the Secretary General by mail at CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, by fax at (819) 994-0218 or by e-mail at procedure@crtc.gc.ca. They are to indicate in the notice their e-mail address where available. If such parties do not have access to the Internet, they are to indicate in their notice whether they wish to receive disk versions of hard copy filings.

[Mod]

Update on this issue: The CRTC issued a decision requiring Canada's mobile industry to implement number portability in most of Canada by March 14, 2007, six months sooner than the timeline contemplated by the CRTC's plan released earlier this fall.

Recent surveys have revealed that 30% of Canadians would switch providers if they could and a variety of reports as far back as 1998 have revealed more than 70% of Canadians said keeping their mobile number was important to them.
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[Barry]

From Rogers Wireless:

The Implementation of Wireless Number Portability in Canada could create significant Costs for us and Increase Churn Over the past several years, certain countries in Europe and Asia have mandated wireless number portability (“WNP”). In 2004, the U.S. wireless industry also implemented WNP. WNP involves porting wireless phone numbers to other wireless companies, but can also involve porting phone numbers between wireline and wireless companies. The implementation of WNP systems and capabilities imposes significant costs on the carriers in a country. The CRTC recently stated that it intends to review the matter in its 2005/2006 planning period (April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006). The federal budget was released on February 23, 2005. In the budget speech, the government stated that it would request the CRTC to move expeditiously
to implement WNP. In a letter dated March 18, 2005 to the CRTC, the Minister of Industry noted that WNP was already on the CRTC’s 2005-6 work program and stated that he was therefore confident that the CRTC would deal with this matter in an expeditious manner. The letter noted that the government understands that WNP includes wireless-to-wireless, wireline-to-wireless and wireless-to-wireline number portability. If WNP were to be mandated, this would require carriers, including Wireless, to incur implementation costs that could be significant and could cause an increase in churn among Canadian wireless carriers.

The CWTA will contract an independent consultant to complete a comprehensive project plan outlining specific milestones for this process. It is expected that the plan will be completed by September 1, 2005. Upon arrival of the plan and agreement on a common start date, it is the intention of the CWTA and the wireless carriers to begin the implementation of the plan. A firm date on the implementation is not known at this time pending the development of the project plan.

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[Mod]

By March 14, 2007 Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and the mobility division of TELUS Communications Inc. will be required to provide WNP to their customers in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec. This means that customers in any of these provinces will be able to switch to any service provider in that province (wireline or wireless) and keep their phone number.

Throughout Canada, all wireless carriers will, by the same date, be required to release a phone number to another carrier (port-out customers) and by no later than September 12, 2007, to accept a phone number from another carrier (port-in customers).

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[Nyla35]

I can't wait for CNP to come to Canada, hopefully the big cellular companies don't ding me with a MASSIVE service charge to change. That would be bad, 30 bucks to start a new plan, 30 bucks to keep your number.

Maybe when my contract expires Telus will give me a sweeter deal to stay. That's what I'm banking on.

[Phil]

I'm banking on Telus to give me a solid upgrade/bonus deals to stay with them or BYE BYE, I'll just keep my phone and switch to GSM.

[dellite]

Chances are you won't see many people switch because the big companies won't offer big deals and they'll charge you a bundle to a) switch, b) come online as new customer c) WNP charge. That's a possible 3 charges to switch carriers.

[ruby]

This just in, like we needed a study to prove it. Number portability translated into lower wireless costs for consumers due to increased competition, according to research done at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Since the Federal Communications Commission mandated wireless local number portability in late 2004, average prices for wireless plans with intermediate and large numbers of minutes decreased by about $3 and $8 pre month respectively, according to research conducted by Minjung Park, a business school doctoral student.

Brian Viard, assistant professor of strategic management at the business school, predicted three years ago that lower “switching costs”—such as extra fees or higher rates that companies charge customers once they are ‘locked in’ and switching service would be inconvenient—would lead to lower prices overall for consumers. Previous research had concluded that switching costs always lead to higher prices.

Viard concluded that “the evidence thus far indicates that building lock-in is a good strategy for firms and reducing it is a reasonable goal for regulators hoping to help consumers, regardless of market growth.”

[Mod]

The CRTC will open local phone service competition and allow mobile phone users to keep their number when they change companies soon, and Telus is trying to get behind the changes.


The federal government moved in December to stop regulating local phone service in areas where there was demonstrable competition, no matter how fledgling, as early as this spring.
The decision followed an earlier move to allow mobile phone users to keep their number with they change companies later this year.
Telus considers number portability an opportunity because it is an impediment faced in growing the low market share within the business market in central Canada.
Of course, still no date yet as to when the rules will come into play.
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[gurl]

When will this come? I heard as late as September 2007!