UK research firm Analysys says that in most countries that provide wireless number portability, less than 10% of numbers have ever been moved from one carrier to another. As well, most number portability systems charge too much money for users to bother moving a number. And number portability does not necessarily spell long-term customer churn or price erosion among carriers. "One of the biggest barriers to [number portability] is that customers do not realize it is available," says study author Alastair Brydon. Canadian service providers are working on a wireless number portability system expected to launch next month.

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Rogers Wireless Inc. announced that it will shut down its TDMA and analog wireless networks on May 31 and move customers onto the newer GSM system. TDMA and analog users will get to keep their phone numbers and service plans. Rogers said last month that it was notifying customers by letters and notices in phone bills.

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Call Genie Inc. has introduced the latest version of its Enhanced Voice Directory (EVD) software, which allows Yellow Pages listings to be accessed by voice commands according to category and location. The Yellow Pages’ HelloYellow now uses this software, and is available from Ottawa to Victoria and every market in between with a population of 50,000 or more.

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