Users in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec to get WNP first

The CRTC ruled on December 20 that wireless number portability (WNP) should be made available in stages and much sooner than September 2007 as proposed by the Canadian wireless industry. The commission noted that it would be reasonable to expect WNP to be available in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec by March 14, 2007. The following is an edited excerpt of Telecom Decision 2005-72. The commission notes the PwC report’s recommendation that an "all at once everywhere" national start date is equitable to all carriers and customers. At the same time, the commission notes that in Telecom Order CRTC 98-60, 29 January 1998, it ordered the rollout of wireline LNP on a two-phased priority basis for different geographic areas, spread over a nine-month period. The commission considers that it would be desirable to employ a phased approach if it resulted in WNP being available to a significant number of consumers sooner. The commission considers that all WSPs should have the same ability to port customers when WNP is introduced. The commission therefore considers that both simple and complex porting, as well as porting by wireless resellers and MVNOs, must be supported when WNP is introduced, even under a phased rollout. The commission recognizes that WNP affects practically every operating and support system of a wireless carrier, and that adequate time must be allocated for modifications to be made. The commission considers that the most challenging testing requirements are those at the initial phase when the modifications are made to carriers’ internal systems. The commission considers that testing at subsequent phases is somewhat less challenging, since it focuses on inter-carrier systems and processes, most of which have been in commercial use for many years in Canada and the US. The commission has reviewed the testing schedule recommended in the PwC report and notes that much of the testing is done serially rather than in parallel. The commission considers that if elements of the pilot testing are performed in parallel, it could be completed in much less time than that allocated in the PwC’s plan. The commission further considers that the Phase A testing, with the only new participants from the pilot test being Primus, Telus and Virgin Mobile, could be completed in less than the time allocated in the PwC report, thereby permitting WNP to be introduced in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, where LEC-to-LEC LNP is already in place, by 14 March 2007. The commission notes that some of the regional wireless carriers are planning to upgrade their wireless systems over the same period that WNP is being introduced, thereby adding time constraints and an element of risk for these carriers. The commission considers, however, that a phased approach for WNP could cause some difficulties and confusion for national or cross-regional customers, if only a portion of a customer’s account can be moved to a porting wireless carrier in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, but not in the remaining provinces. The commission notes that porting out a customer essentially entails the same process as disconnecting a customer. The commission therefore considers that as of 14 March 2007, all wireless carriers should support, at a minimum, the porting-out of wireless numbers wherever LEC-to-LEC LNP is available, as well as Regina and Saskatoon. The commission further considers that both porting in and porting out should be implemented in all other locations where LEC-to-LEC LNP is available, as well as Regina and Saskatoon, no later than 12 September 2007. The commission considers that where wireless porting in and/or porting out is implemented, it will be necessary for all LECs to support intermodal porting.The commission notes the CWTA’s intention to create a WNP Project Management Office in order to move forward with WNP implementation. The commission considers the creation of a WNP Project Management Office to be a positive measure in the implementation of WNP. In light of the above, the Commission directs:(i) Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and the mobility division of TELUS to implement WNP in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, where LEC-to-LEC LNP is already in place, by 14 March 2007. Where LEC-to-LEC LNP is already in place elsewhere, as well as Regina and Saskatoon, these wireless carriers operating in these areas must also implement porting-out by 14 March 2007, may implement porting-in on or after 14 March 2007, and must implement porting-in by 12 September 2007; (ii) all other wireless carriers to implement, at a minimum, the porting-out of customers where LEC-to-LEC LNP is already in place, as well as Regina and Saskatoon, by 14 March 2007. In these areas, they may implement porting-in any time on or after 14 March 2007, and must implement porting-in by 12 September 2007; and (iii) for all other locations where LNP does not exist, WNP would be introduced within commission-approved time periods set out in consensus report RORE03B, entitled Consensus on Request Driven Rollout Process, upon wireless carrier notification to an ILEC; (iv) that both simple and complex porting be supported when either wireless number porting-in or porting-out commences; and (v) all LECs to support the porting-in and out of telephone numbers with wireless carriers within the time frames set out above.

Users in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec to get WNP first

News | January 10, 2006

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