Ofcom to cut number-switching time

UK TELCOMS regulator, Ofcom, is considering new rules to dramatically cut the time it takes to swap their telephone number from one mobile network over to another. It could be 360 times faster.

According to Kevin Russell, CEO of 3 UK, it currently takes around five days for a Brit to migrate a mobile telephone number to another network - a process known as number portability.

He claimed that back in his native Australia the same process takes just two hours. Under pressure from 3, Ofcom is to set new rules which could see the transfer time reduced to just 20 minutes.

According to a report in The Mail on Sunday, Ofcom was supposed to have acted on this issue two weeks ago but has delayed while it consults the network operators over the proposed new rules.

The newspaper says that Vodafone wants to wait until 2009 before implementing such a change whereas 3 is pushing for it to happen by Q1 2008.

Operators' fear that number portability will seriously damage their businesses is almost certainly misplaced. Back in 2004 T-Mobile USA admitted that number switching hadn't really reeked havoc. µ

See Also
3 goes to court to stop Ofcom
Number portability has less impact than expected