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Canadian Wireless Number Portability Coming Soon
By Barry Wireless
Canadian Number Portability is fast approaching. What exactly does it
mean and include? For one, cellular customers who want to take
advantage of better service/prices from other wireless carriers can
switch while keeping their cell phone number. The major three cellular
providers, Rogers Wireless, Telus Mobility, Bell Mobility, have until
March 14, 2007 to implement the CNP policies. This date was
mandated by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
(CWTA), who also suggested that CNP would be released to a
limited number of provinces to start (Alberta, Ontario, BC, Quebec.)
There is no word whether wireless carriers will go ahead and bypass
the minimum mandate and enable the entire country to take advantage
of this service.
How does it work? Customers should be able to switch to any service
provider in your province (wireline or wireless) and keep your phone
number. Hopefully all wireless carriers will enable portability, however,
moving from an obscure provider from the East coast to an unknown
provider in the West, may prove challenging. In the US customers
faced challenges moving great distances, however, the US has many
more providers than Canada. Throughout Canada, all wireless carriers
will 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). There is no
word on how this will affect prepaid plans/phones.
So is this good or bad news for the consumer? One can only hope that
the absent price wars between the major companies will heat up. With
the threat of losing customers to better service/costs on another
carrier, we could see new deals for existing and new customers that
we haven't seen in Canada for a while.
In reality there are three fundamental reasons why consumers will
decide to change carriers: a) Better phones elsewhere, b)better service
elsewhere, and c) better prices elsewhere. In the States consumers
flocked not to necessarily better phones or plans, but better service.
Verizon Wireless reaped the benefits of wireless number portability by
a wide margin. We'll have to see how Canadian carrier respond.
In the meantime, let's analyse some of the pros and cons to wireless
number portability.
Cons: All portability moves must be done in sequence. That means to
plan to port your number while STILL connected with your existing
carrier. Cancel one service contract for another without going through
the porting process and you'll loose your number.
Portability is no good if you have time left on your existing contract.
You still need to honour your wireless contract for x many more
months. If you choose to terminate you will face penalties as per usual.
Chances are carriers will introduce a portability charge. That means
even if you don't port your number you'll pay a new service charge.
(They have to gouge you somewhere right?!) This also means the
'activation' fee you paid will likely exist on the new carrier. If you get
away from 'activation' fees be prepared for the 'portability' fee when
you actually make the transaction. Hopefully consumers won't get
both.
Expect delays and glitches at the start up, it's bound to happen. Also,
don't expect your past bills from your old carrier to go away once you
switch.
Pros: Taking advantage of the new pricing and plan options from
carriers looking to capture competing customers. That means lower
prices for you, new contracts only thoughˇ. You finally have the
option of getting rid of the crappy service and show that corporate
giant who's boss by voting with your feet.
Existing customers will be given incentives to stay with their carriers,
more minutes, features, etc. Switching carriers usually means a new
phone (if you're a new customer). If you move to GSM providers
you'll have two! Porting usually takes a few hours so wait time is
minimal.
And finally, once you have your number working on another carrier
don't be surprised if you get the same crappy service as before. You
can never win it seems at this wireless game. But then again, you may
find that the grass is a little greener on the other side. The Pros will
hopefully outweigh the Cons, hopefully consumers will see better
prices and phone deals in the future.
About the Author
DiscussWireless provides useful Canadian number portability discussion, cell phone reviews, cell phone provider forums, and offers unlocked GSM cellular phone comparison options.
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