Local and mobile number portability (the ability to take your existing phone number with you if you swap companies) could be extended out another six years following a draft determination by the Commerce Commission.The big winner from the decision is 2deg
Local and mobile number portability (the ability to take your existing phone number with you if you swap companies) could be extended out another six years following a draft determination by the Commerce Commission.
The big winner from the decision is 2degrees, which has pushed portability hard in its marketing, especially during the second half of this year, in an effort to educate customers they can bring their Telecom or Vodafone number with them to the new carrier.
Figures recently released by the independent Telecommunications Carriers Forum show that 2degrees has benefited from the regulatory change allowing number portability:
Date: total ports since 2degrees Aug 2009 launch
Sept 2: 100,000
July 31: 92,000
July 20: 83,000
June 4: 75,000
Feb 26: 53,000
Today the commission released a draft determination to extend its original number portability ruling until 2016.
The first determination was issued in 2005 and expires next month.
Telecommunications commissioner Ross Patterson said the system had worked well since its introduction in April, 2007.
“All parties are in agreement that the determination should be extended,” he said.
The draft determination continues the standards and systems from the original rules including those providing for number portability as well as the formula for allocating the cost between telecommunications companies for providing the service.
Submissions on the draft can be made up until December 9.
Number portability enables a customer to change telecommunications companies but retain the same telephone number.
