Number portability to have little impact in the enterprise space

Wireless number portability (WNP) comes into force on March 14, giving users the right to keep their numbers when they switch providers. Just as the impact on the consumer market is predicted to be minimal, enterprise users aren’t likely to begin switching in droves, according to Dave Fuller, senior VP of solutions and products at Telus Corp.’s business solutions division.Fuller, in Ottawa to speak to government and private sector technology professionals at a breakfast meeting earlier this month, sat down with Report on Wireless after the meeting to talk about WNP and the impact of its coming-into-force on the enterprise community. He explained that number portability really doesn’t change the rules of engagement in the competitive wireless sector that much.For instance, the high fees related to contract breakup in the wireline space don’t exist to the same degree with respect to wireless contracts. "Switching costs have always been reasonably low in the wireless world," Fuller told Report on Wireless. "That’s why we’ve focused on things like customer loyalty, customer experience and because they are the most important things to make sure you retain your customer." Number portability does make it easier for business customers to switch providers, and this has increased the importance of what Fuller called the "hygiene" of the business: there has to be greater emphasis on the importance associated with customer service and network reliability "because if you upset a customer, it’s that much easier to leave now," he said. But just as Telus CEO Darren Entwistle said during the company’s recent fourth-quarter and year-end financial results conference call, WNP represents an opportunity, and Fuller echoes the sentiment. One potential opportunity arises from large enterprise clients with multiple locations across the country that have received wireless service from more than one carrier; instead they can now consider consolidating service with a single carrier. "You might see more adoption of a corporate standard for your wireless carrier in the future," he said. While the company has a high share of enterprise wireless users in the West, Fuller said there are significant opportunities to increase Telus’ penetration of the business market in Ontario and Quebec. He maintained that the company is at the low end of enterprise user market share compared to the other two national players. Faced with number portability, the company doesn’t plan to resort to any aggressive pricing practices just to secure customers. Fuller said Telus’ prices are already competitive and the carrier doesn’t see a need to drop prices dramatically to mitigate customer switching.

Number portability to have little impact in the enterprise space

News | February 26, 2007

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