Cell Phone Number Portability Finally A Reality? 259
graphicartist82 writes "MSNBC is running an article about the upcoming deadline for cell phone companies to let customers keep their numbers when switching companies. FCC Chairman Michael Powell has already extended the deadline once, but plans to stay with the Nov 24th, 2003 deadline. Companies like Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile have committed to meeting the deadline. I, for one, would love this. I've had the same cell phone number for years now -- it's where everybody knows how to get a hold of me. Other companies are now offering better services in my area where they weren't before. If I can keep my number and get a better service, I'm all for it! (Even if I have to pay a fee like the article suggests)."
Been there, done that. (Score:1, Informative)
New thing? (Score:2, Informative)
I just switched my work phone from Wind to Vodaphone iwthout any problem. You buy a new SIM and ask for number portability. They give you a "parking numeber" to use your new phone and, about 15 days after, your old numer is transferred on the new company.
The interesting thing is that phone company offers you everything to keep your old number and stole it from another company
See you
Re:Cell phone / home phone (Score:3, Informative)
You won't *always* have to buy a new phone. If you switch from Verizon to Sprint, or T-Mobile to Cingular (etc), there is no reason why the phone shouldn't work on the other network. In the US, most providers "subsidy lock" their phones, which makes it hard to use it on a new provider, but there are methods of "unlocking" the phone.
There are obviously some technical issues that will prevent some phones from working on some networks (ie: a Verizon phone on AT&T's network...GSM and CDMA are different standards) However, I don't really think it's a bad thing. If one standard has more features that you are looking for (ie. higher data rates, better voice quality, roaming in countries you frequent often, etc), then use a provider that uses that standard! IMHO, having several competing standards forces both the operators and the standards bodies to compete for your business!
Re:Cell phone / home phone (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Cell phone / home phone (Score:0, Informative)
Cool (Score:2, Informative)
Mark
Number/Phone distinction (Score:3, Informative)
Anybody can make the actual cell phone but nearly everyone uses a Nokia. Price varies inversely proportional to the size but phones can be had for around $50 - $100. Buying the phone requires no contract, no ID, no commitment, no hassle, and most of all no forms. Just beg, borrow or steal your way into a phone.
Once you have the actual phone, it needs a "sim card" to function properly. This is basically just the gold-plated chip you see embedded in smart cards - but it's just the chip. This is the phone's identity - a phone number is associated with the sim card, and it can also store your phone number list and other small tidbits of information. These are usually under $10. They key point is the sim card is made to be user-replaceable. Once again, no activation, contract, or commitment required.
Sim card goes into back of phone, and all you need are some prepaid cards. There are really only 2 service providers, so you just have to buy a corresponding prepaid card (sold literally on and in between every street corner) from a reseller. When you type the 16-digit code from the back of the prepaid card into your phone, it authenticates and then stores the value onto your sim card.
The system is great because it's completely anonymous, there are no service fees, and most of all, changing phones is as easy as popping the sim card out of the back and into the new phone. Changing providers requires the purchase of a new sim card (= new phone number) but the competition is so stiff between the two that rates and coverage are virtually identical.
The major drawback to the system is that since the phone number can be replaced so easily and cheaply (simply buy a new sim card), theft is a major problem. The phones are all GSM phones which is some dumb acronym, but the Filipinos jokingly equate GSM with "Galing sa Magnanakaw" or "coming from a thief," since practically any phone on sale outside of a mall is stolen.
Re:What about .ca? (Score:1, Informative)
Late in 1999, Microcell submitted a request to the CRTC to extend the number portability requirement to cellular providers, but this was opposed by the major providers, including Bell and Rogers. The CRTC decided [crtc.gc.ca] to reject Microcell's application. Since then, there does not appear to have been any progress towards number portability in Canada.
Already a reality in the UK (Score:2, Informative)
My company changed 300 cell phones from one provider to another - keeping the old numbers - worked just great.
Also to do this on your personal number cost around UKP20 =US$30 or so.
Some information Here [smalltalk.co.uk] and Here [oftel.gov.uk]
I know other European and Asia Pac countries have the same sort of agreements in place.
Re:Finally? (Score:5, Informative)
Actually - yes it can. It is technically complex and hard to impliment properly / reliably - It only seems easy because the problems have been solved.
There are some minor differences in the way that call routing works between GSM and the various USA systems. But these are generally small - they all sit on top of SS7 and getting calls through to the location is done by essentially the same Processes in the SS7 SCCP TCAP and MAP layers. If GSM can make it work then the USA will be able to too.
What is more of a problem is the lack of consistency in the way that number portability is implimented. SS7/SCCP/TCAP/MAP doesn't explicitly provide for portability - so it has to be "bolted on" and not every territory does it the same.
Sometimes you want to originate a call or send an SMS and you need to know which network hosts the handset. (Usually you want to do this because you're providing a service in a country (EG Hong Hong) where the carriers are always squabbling and won't neccesarily route your call through to the right network)
Anyway, some territories (eg HongKong) have implimented number portability by means of a centralised common database - and if you provide a service and have multiple trunks into each network (as we do) then you have to negoiate access to that Database and treat it as a whole extra layer before you even start connecting to the network proper. Even then there can be messy differences between territories in the detail of how these databases work.
Other places (EG the UK) do it completely different. Here there is an extra Database associated with every HLR ( Home Location Register - one of the key Databases involved with routing calls to mobiles). When a number is ported, the GTTS (Global Title Translation Service - converts phone numbers into the point codes which underly the SS7 network) in the originating network SCCP still returns the point code of the original operator's HLR - practically speaking it has to or the routing tables would become impossibly large. When that HLR receives a "sendRoutingInfo" message it first checks in its portability database and if the number has been ported elsewhere, then it forwards the message to the new HLR - which will query the current VLR and provide the routing info. This has the advantage that it is transparent to everyone else on the SS7 network , but has the disadvantage that if you actually want to know which network you're paying to receive the call - it's harder to find out. The other disadvantage of this system is the admin is more awkward. Potentially you could be relying on three different companies to make your network change work. All the UK phone companies are a bit of a admin. shambles even at the best of times.
We're busy designing and implimenting various SMS configured voice conferencing services - and this single issue is more complex than just about all the rest put together.
What will be interesting will be to see how the USA has decided to solve the problem. It will face essentially the same choices as countries with GSM - and the same tradeoffs.
Re:Where do you live? (Score:3, Informative)
Not true. My plan, with t-mobile, allows me to call any other t-mobile caller at any time for free. Phoning other carriers will consume my monthly minutes if used during the week. Thus, with plans like these it's important to know which network you are dialling.
Re:I've been waiting for this (Score:2, Informative)
Many land line providers offer a service called "group ringing" or "group hunting".
Basically, you give out a number for people to call. Calls to that number route to a list of phone numbers to reach you. You progam the list of numbers: your cell phone of the week, office phone, home phone, etc.
You answer the call on whatever phone you are closet to at the time. The person calling you doesn't notice anything different other than maybe one or two extra rings. Some variations on this feature allow the ability to roll back to voice mail if no one answers the call.
The individual phone numbers aren't visible to those people that are calling you, all you ever give out is the master phone number.
There are two variations to the service, simultaneous ringing or sequential ringing. Basically, do all phones ring at the same time, or ring in sequence.