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====Israel====
====Israel====
In [[Israel]], number portability was implemented in Dec 2, 2007.
In [[Israel]], number portability was implemented in Dec 2, 2007. dfsdf


====Japan====
====Japan====

Revision as of 04:45, 25 March 2009

This article is about telephone number portability on landlines. For telephone number portability on mobile phones, see mobile number portability.

Local number portability, (LNP) for fixed lines, and full mobile number portability (FMNP), for mobile phone lines, refers to the ability to transfer either an existing fixed-line or mobile telephone number assigned by a local exchange carrier (LEC) and reassign it to another carrier. In most cases, there are limitations to transferability with regards to geography, service area coverage and technology.

In the United States and Canada, mobile number portability is referred to simply as WNP or WLNP (Wireless LNP). In Japan and Pakistan it is referred to as mobile number portability, (MNP)[1].Wireless Number Portability is available in some parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and most European countries including Britain; however, this relates to transferability between mobile phone lines only. Iceland, Canada, and the United States are the only three countries in the world that offer full number portability transfers between both fixed lines and mobile phone lines [2] because mobile and fixed line numbers are mixed in the same area codes, and billing wise are identical for the calling party, the mobile user usually pays for incoming calls; in other countries all mobile numbers are placed in higher priced mobile-dedicated area codes and the originator of the incoming call to the mobile phone pays for the incoming call, not the mobile phone owner.

Some cellular telephone companies will charge for this conversion as a regulatory cost recovery fee.

History

Though it was introduced as a tool to promote competition in the heavily monopolized wireline telecommunications industry (see the First Report and Order on LNP and Number Pooling), number portability became popular with the advent of mobile telephones, since in most countries different mobile operators are provided with different area codes and, without portability, changing one's operator would require changing one's number. Some operators, especially incumbent operators with large existing subscriber bases, have argued against portability on the grounds that providing this service incurs considerable overhead, while others argue that it prevents vendor lock-in and allows them to compete fairly on price and service. Due to this conflict of interest, number portability is usually mandated for all operators by telecommunications regulatory authorities. In the US, LNP was mandated by the FCC in 1996 with the First Report and Order on LNP and Number Pooling. The mandate required all carriers in the top 100 MSAs (metropolitan statistical areas) to be "LNP-capable" and port numbers to any carriers sending a BFR (bona fide request). The ability to keep a number while switching providers is thought to be attractive to consumers. It was also a major point made by CLECs (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers) preventing customers from leaving ILECs (Incumbent Line Exchange Carriers), thus hindering competition. Details regarding the reasons for LNP and how it is to be implemented can be found in the First Report and Order referenced above.

In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated this in order to increase competition among providers. As of late November 2003, LNP was required for all landline and wireless common carriers, so long as the number is being ported to the same geographical area or telephone exchange. This latest mandate included carriers outside the top 100 MSAs that theretofore enjoyed a rural carrier exemption.

Portability schemes

There are four main methods to route a number whose operator has changed[3] [4].

All Call Query (ACQ)

The operator that originates the call always checks a centralized database and obtains the route to the call.

Query on Release (QoR)

The operator that originates the call first checks with the operator to which the number initially belonged, the donor operator. The donor operator verifies the call and informs that it no longer possesses the number. The operator that originates the call then checks the centralized database, as is done with ACQ.

Call Dropback

Also known as Return to Pivot (RoP). The operator that originates the call first checks with the donor operator. The donor operator checks its own database and provides a new route. The operator that originates the call then uses this route to forward the call. No central database is consulted.

Onward Routing (OR)

The operator that originates the call checks with the donor operator. The donor operator checks its own database and obtains a new route. The operator to which the number was designated routes itself the call to the new operator. This model is called indirect routing.

Technical issues

Complexity for number portability can come from many sources. Historically, numbers were assigned to various operators in blocks. The operators, who were often also service providers, then provided these numbers to the subscribers of telephone services. Numbers were also recycled in blocks. With number portability, it is envisioned that the size of these blocks may grow smaller or even to single numbers. Once this occurs the granularity of such operations will represent a greater workload for the telecommunications provider. With phone numbers assigned to various operators in blocks, the system worked quite well in a fixed line environment since everyone was attached to the same infrastructure. The situation becomes somewhat more complex in a wireless environment such as that created by cellular communications.

In number portability the “donor network” provides the number and the “recipient network” accepts the number. The operation of donating a number requires that a number is “snapped out” from a network and “snapped into” the receiving network. If the subscriber ceases to need the number then it is normal that the original donor receives the number back and “snaps back” the number to its network. The situation is slightly more complex if the user leaves the first operator for a second and then subsequently elects to use a third operator. In this case the second operator will return the number to the first and then it is assigned to the third.

In cellular communications the concept of a location registry exists to tie a “mobile station” (such as a cellular phone) to the number. If a number is dialed it is necessary to be able to determine where in the network the mobile station exists. Some mechanism for such forwarding must exist. (For an example of such a system, see the article on the GSM network.)

In the US, there are standards for portability defined by the FCC and the LNPA, as well as NANPA and the ATIS which are agreed upon by all member providers to help make LNP as cost-efficient and expedient as possible while still retaining a healthy level security for all providers and in respect of the highest level of customer service. These rules, first defined in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reports and Orders by the FCC (publicly available at fcc.gov), are further detailed by the LNPA in order to ensure any provider can successfully port numbers to any other provider. NeuStar provides a national database called the NPAC (National Portability Administration Center) which contains the correct routing information for all ported and pooled numbers in the US and Canada. The NANC maintains detailed documentation of the procedure common among US carriers to port numbers as described here.

Providers use SS7 to route calls throughout the US/Canada network. SS7 accesses databases for various services such as CNAM, LIDB, CLASS and, of course, LNP. Calls to ported numbers are completed when a customer who calls a ported number sends the dialed number to a provider's SSP (Service Switch Point), where it is identified either as a local call or not. If the call is local, the switch has the NPA-NXX in its routing table as portable, so it sends a routing request to the STP (Signal Transfer Point) which accesses a local database that is updated by an LSMS (Local Service Management System) which holds all routing for all ported numbers to which the carrier is responsible for completing calls. If routing information is found, a response is sent to the "query" containing the information necessary to properly route the call. If it is not a local number, the call is passed on to the STP and routed until it gets to a local carrier who will perform the "query" mentioned earlier and route the call accordingly.

The routing information necessary to complete these calls is known as an LRN (Location Routing Number). The LRN is no more than a simple 10-digit telephone number that resides in the switch of the service provider currently providing service for the ported telephone number.

When a provider receives a request to port a telephone number from a new customer, that provider sends an industry-standard LSR (Local Service Request) to the existing (or "old") provider. When the Old Provider receives this request, it sends back FOC (Firm Order Confirmation) and the 5-day max process of porting the number begins. Either provider can initiate the port using a SOA or LSOA (Service Order Activator) which directly edits the NPAC database mentioned before. If the new provider initiates the port, it is called a "pull," and if the old provider initiates, it is a "push." Once the number is pulled or pushed, the new provider must "activate" the number using the LRN of the switch serving the customer. At the point this is completed, the number is ported.

Much of this process is duplicated in intermodal portability (porting between wireline and wireless providers). There are a few technical differences, however, in WLNP-- Especially with concern to the time intervals allowed.

Portability by country

Africa

Kenya

The Communications Commission of Kenya announced in 2004 that mobile number portability would be available as of July 1, 2005 and fixed-line number portability as of July 1, 2006[5]. However, more recent publications seem to suggest that portability is still under study[6]. Further investigation is necessary.

The Americas

Canada

In Canada, wireline/competitive local exchange carriers must provide portability. As of March 14, 2007, wireless carriers must provide portability in most of Canada[7].

United States

In the United States, the FCC first mandated LNP among wireline carriers in 1997, as well. LNP was first implemented in the U.S. upon the establishment of the original Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) in Chicago, Illinois in 1998. This service covered select rate centers in the Ameritech region. Thereafter, as switches and telephone networks were upgraded with Location Routing Number (LRN) capability, LNP was deployed sequentially to the remaining RBOC areas. The U.S. FCC since has mandated Wireless Local Number Portability starting November 24, 2003 (in metropolitan areas), and allowed operators to charge an additional monthly Long-Term Telephone Number Portability End-Use Charge as compensation. On November 10, 2003, the FCC additionally ruled that number portability applies to landline numbers moving to mobile telephones as well.

Mexico

Mexico is the first American country to have number portability in both mobile and local telephony. The Federal Telecommunications Commission (Cofetel) applied this law, in defense and regulation of the great monopoly that Telmex has. It was also one condition for Telmex, if the Mexican company wanted to enter to the video market [2]. The number portability is available since July 5 of 2008. The handling of the service is handled by Telcordia Technologies.[8].

Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, number portability in both mobile and local telephony is planned to start in July 9th., 2009. The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL) is already working to select the enterprise that's going to administer the number portability.[9].

Brazil

In Brazil, number portability (both fixed and mobile) will be available nationwide by March, 2009[10].

Ecuador

In Ecuador, wireless number portability will be available in the second half of 2009, according to an act approved by the Ecuadorian Constituent Assembly.

Asia

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, fixed line number portability is available since 1995, the same time of fixed line telephone market liberalization, which was a requirement from the government. Mobile number portability is available since March 1, 1999[11]. Currently a fixed line number cannot be carried to a mobile carrier or vice versa, but the government is currently considering the possibility.

India

In India, the four major metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai were to have mobile number portability by the end of 2008. This decision has, however, been deferred to early 2009. A decision on extending number portability to other ‘A’ circle cities and towns will be taken sometime thereafter. ‘A’ circles include Maharashtra (outside Mumbai), Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu[12].

However this has been stiffly opposed by many private cellular operators who claim that it will prevent growth.

Israel

In Israel, number portability was implemented in Dec 2, 2007. dfsdf

Japan

In Japan, fixed line portability began in March, 2001. 番号ポータビリティー制度 (bangō portability seido - commonly referred to as portability or MNP) began on October 24, 2006[13][14]. Users are able to change cellular phone carriers without changing their number for a fee of 5000 yen. However, e-mail addresses are subject to change, and music/data downloaded may not be used.

The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) spent three years to put mobile number portability into practice, since its initial workgroup started in November, 2003. As a result, NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank accelerated the price battle, but it was of little effect due to already competitive price plans and customer loyalty. Overall, mobile number portability in Japan was not very successful, because of high transition costs for the customer due to SIM lock, the long time it took to establish mobile number portability, allowing operators to fence in subscribers with price plans, and the significance of mobile Internet mail.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, mobile number portability plan to start by mid 2008, according to an article on the National News Agency Bernama

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, MNP was launched in 8th of July 2006, to be the first country to launch this service in the ME region. A centralized number portability clearinghouse (NPC) solution was implemented by CITC(the telecom regulation authority) and the two mobile phone operators were obliged to implement the MNP solution in their networks and to interface with the NPC. the service was provided to the mobile subscribers for free.

Oman

In Oman, Mobile Number Portability was mandated on the Public Mobile Operators, Nawras and Oman Mobile, via the licenses issued to them by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Mobile number portability was launched on 26 August 2006. Users are able to change cellular phone carriers without changing their number for a nominal fee of 3 OMR. [15]

Pakistan

In Pakistan, پاکستان the PTA mandated mobile number portability on March 23, 2007. Users are able to change their cellular phone service for a fee of 500 rupees. [16]

Singapore

Singapore was one of the first country to introduce number portability for mobile telephones in 1997. This is currently implemented through voice call & SMS forwarding. True number portability will be realized from 13 June 2008, with the implementation of a Centralised Number Portability Database Solution, as proposed by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore. [3]

South Korea

In South Korea, mobile number portability service started from January 1, 2004. One thing different from other countries is that it started from SK Telecom, the dominant operator which has over 50% of market share. To prevent users' churning to the dominant operator, the government gave six months' and one year's delay to the second and the third operator, respectively. As a result, only SK Telecom's subscribers could move to other operators during the first six months[17]. Fixed-line portability began as of August 1, 2004[18].

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan government made a policy decision in August 2007 to introduce number portability for cellular phones in Sri Lanka. This is supported by Sri Lanka Telecom owned Mobitel Lanka and other cellular operators.

Europe

In the European Union, all telephone providers are required to provide number portability under the Universal Services Directive (2002/22/EU).

Austria

In Austria, number portability was implemented in Oct 2004.

Belgium

In Belgium, number portability was implemented in Oct 2002.

Cyprus

In Cyprus, geographic, non-geographic and mobile number portability is required as of July 12, 2004[19].

Denmark

In Denmark, portability of fixed line numbers and ISDN was implemented on January 1, 2001. Mobile number portability was implemented on July 1, 2001[20]. In 2006, 238,293 fixed lines were ported, along with 456,159 mobile lines. Considering that the number of fixed lines by the end of 2006 was 2,974,000 and the number of mobile lines was 5.828.000[21], roughly 7.9% of lines were ported in 2006.

Estonia

In Estonia, number portability is required from fixed operators since January 1, 2004 and should be required from mobile operators as from January 1, 2005[19].

Finland

In Finland, mobile number portability was implemented on July 25, 2003[22]. The impact of mobile number portability in Finland exceeds that of other countries. In one year (June 2003-June 2004), the combined market share of TeliaSonera, Elisa and DNA fell from 98.7% to 87.9%[23].

France

In France, geographic number portability has been available since January 1, 1998. As of January 1, 2001, it became possible to change geographic location or operator while keeping the same number[24]. Mobile number portability was introduced on June 30, 2003[25]. However, due to its lack of effectiveness, a new system was launched on May 21, 2007 with two objectives: having a single contact for the customer (the new operator should take all the steps towards mobile number portability) and a maximum period of ten days for mobile number portability to have effect[26].

Germany

In Germany, fixed number portability was introduced on January 1, 1998, for geographic numbers and numbers for non-geographic services. Mobile number portability was implemented on November 1, 2002[19].

Greece

In Greece, fixed number portability is available since January 1, 2003. Mobile number portability was implemented on March 1, 2004[19].

Hungary

In Hungary, portability exists for geographic numbers since January 1, 2004. Portability for non-geographic numbers (including mobile numbers) is available since May 1, 2004[19].

Ireland

In Ireland, number portability was implemented in Jul 2003.

Italy

In Italy, mobile number portability is available since April 30, 2002[27].

Luxembourg

MNP was introduced in Luxembourg in June 2004. The Mobile Number Portability Central (MNPC) managed by the G.I.E Telcom E.I.G. operator group and developed, installed and operated by Systor Trondheim AS of Norway, was put into commercial operations from February 2005.

Norway

Fixed number portability was introduced in Norway in 2000, one year before the introduction of mobile number portability. The administrative solution for fixed and mobile number portability in Norway, the National Reference Database (NRDB), was put into service in 2000. The NRDB is owned and managed by the 8 largest network operators in Norway through the company NRDB AS. The reference database was developed, installed and is presently operated by Systor Trondheim AS.

Portugal

In Portugal, fixed number portability was implemented on June 30, 2001. Mobile number portability has been available since January 1, 2002[28]. The administrative Reference Entity (Entidade de Referencia (ER)) interconnecting all network operators and service providers is operated by a local third party, Portabil S.A., a joint venture between the internationally well known companies Logica and Systor Trondheim AS.

Slovakia

In Slovakia, number portability was implemented in May 2004.

Spain

In Spain, number portability among cell phone carriers is available since October 1st 2000, without any cost to the end user. The technical details for the process are regulated by the CMT (Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones or Telecoms Market Commission) and all carriers are obliged to comply with their requirements. As of August 2007, cell number portability must complete in 5 business days (i.e. excluding weekends) from the moment the request is confirmed by the customer, with the actual switch occurring late at night to avoid missing any calls. The user wakes up using a new SIM-card from the new cell provider while keeping the number.

In the mature Spanish cell phone market (as of June 2007, with 107 lines per 100 inhabitants [29]), portability has been widely used by the competing carriers as a way to steal each other's customers, usually offering them free handsets or extra credit. From June 2006 to June 2007 alone, 3,957,556 cell phone lines switched carriers via this proceeding, about 10% of all cellular lines in use[29]. Spain is the one country in the European Union where more customers have switched cell phone providers, with more than 9 million carrier switches completed as of April 2007 [30].

As for the fixed line market, number portability is also available since year 2000, but weaker competition meant that actual adoption of the fixed number portability process was quite sluggish. As of August 2004, 1,041,246 fixed line switches were completed [31].

Fixed line market is peculiar in Spain, since only two local loop providers can operate at each particular region (or demarcación as regulated by the CMT): a cable carrier (such as Ono, R and many others) and the former State monopoly (Telefónica). The sole of them operating statewide --Telefónica-- is obliged to provide other firms with access to their exchange facilities or rental/transfer of their copper last-mile loops, at fees regulated by the CMT (practice known as local loop unbundling). As cable providers do not have a statewide footprint, many users have no actual chance of applying for "true" fixed number portability, that is, giving up Telefónica's service altogether. Some of them can however get their service from a third company who will bill the service and then pay Telefónica for the copper pair rental and maintenance fees, with the customer receiving a single bill. In the end, as Telefónica set up a reselling program for their fixed lines and DSL internet access, the former monopoly is still much in control of the fixed line market, including profitable broadband access. In fact, Telefónica was fined in excess of €152 million by the European Commission in July 4, 2007 on ground of "impeding competition on the Spanish broadband internet access market for more than five years, and so depriving consumers and business of a choice of broadband suppliers"[32].

Due to the billing scheme used in the Spanish phone call market, where the calling party assumes the full cost of the call, and calling a cellphone is usually more expensive than calling a fixed line, a distinction must be made between cellphone numbers (beginning with 6) and fixed numbers (usually beginning with 9 or 8). Full number portability in which a customer transfers a cell to a fixed number or vice versa is thus not possible. See Telephone numbering in Spain for more information.

Sweden

In Sweden, fixed line portability was implemented in 1999 and mobile number portability was implemented on September 1, 2001. At the introduction of mobile number portability the Swedish operators joined forces and procured a central solution, SNPAC CRDB, which is a central reference database now containing both the fixed and mobile portings.[33][34].

Turkey

In Turkey, mobile number portability was implemented in Nov 2008. [35].

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Ofcom directs fixed-line telephone network providers, mobile phone providers and broadband service providers to provide number portability under the Porting Authorisation Code rules and Migration Authorisation Code code of practice respectively. As the UK is an EU member country, the Ofcom direction is intended to reflect the requirements of EU Directive 2002/22/EU.

Oceania

Australia

In Australia, local telephone numbers have been portable since 1999. The porting process is based on a peer to peer file exchange between fixed line operators.

For service providers who require knowledge of porting activity to enable them to deliver voice calls directly to the current "network owner", they can either form agreements with all of the fixed line operators, or use a third party LNP provider such as Paradigm.One.

According to ACMA, local number portability came into full effect at the start of 2000. Mobile number portability has been available as of September 25, 2001[36].

New Zealand

In New Zealand, local and mobile number portability began on 1 April 2007.

References

  1. ^ "MNP Introduction" (PDF). Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  2. ^ Saltzman, Marc. "'Wireless number portability' arrives in Canada". Sympatico MSN. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  3. ^ Mello, José Barbosa. "Portabilidade Numérica (in Portuguese)". Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  4. ^ Foster, M. "RFC 3482 - Number Portability in the Global Switched Telephone Network (GSTN): An Overview". Network Working Group. Retrieved 2008-04-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Regulations Governing Number Portability". Communications Comission of Kenya (CCK). Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  6. ^ "Number Portability". Communications Comission of Kenya (CCK). Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  7. ^ Cellular (wireless) telephone services
  8. ^ "Desde el 5 de julio regirá la portabilidad numérica". La Jornada. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
  9. ^ "Avances hacia la Portabilidad Numérica en RD". "Telematica & Linux" Blog. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  10. ^ "Portabilidade numérica é aprovada e será assegurada inicialmente ao usuário que solicitar mudança de endereço (in Portuguese)". Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL). Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  11. ^ "Mobile Number Portability in Hong Kong". Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA). Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  12. ^ "Press Release No. 101/2007" (PDF). Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  13. ^ Takeuchi, Izumi. "MNP-Japan Case". Frost & Sullivan. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  14. ^ "FY 2007 Outline of Japan's Info-Communications Policies" (PDF). Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  15. ^ [1]
  16. ^ http://www.pta.gov.pk/media/Code_of_practic_22-03-2007.pdf
  17. ^ "Mobile Number Portability Starts in Full Swing". The Korea Times/Ministry of Information and Communication. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  18. ^ "Fixed-Line Number Portability Starts in Seoul". The Korea Times/Ministry of Information and Communication. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  19. ^ a b c d e "Replies to Telecommunication Regulatory Survey" (DOC). International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  20. ^ "Number Portability". National IT and Telecom Agency (Denmark). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  21. ^ "Telecom Statistics - First Half of 2007" (PDF). National IT and Telecom Agency (Denmark). Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  22. ^ "Mobile Number Portability". Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  23. ^ Smura, Timo. "Mobile Number Portability: Case Finland" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  24. ^ "Results of the Public Consultation on the implementation of number portability". Autorité de Régulation des Communications Életroniques et des Postes (ARCEP). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  25. ^ "Mobile Communications Services Qualitative Questionnaire" (DOC). Autorité de Régulation des Communications Életroniques et des Postes (ARCEP). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  26. ^ "The new mobile number portability process comes into force on Monday 21 May 2007 in Metropolitan France". Autorité de Régulation des Communications Életroniques et des Postes (ARCEP). Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  27. ^ "Actions Undertaken by the Authority" (PDF). Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (AGCOM). Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  28. ^ "Regulation no. 58/2005, published on 18 of August". Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM). Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  29. ^ a b CMT June 2007 monthly report (in Spanish)
  30. ^ AECOMO Spanish Mobile Communications Association news report (in Spanish)
  31. ^ Consumer magazine (in Spanish)
  32. ^ Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy; Press conference on Telefónica decision, Brussels, July 4 2007
  33. ^ "Nummerportabilitet (in Swedish)". Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS). Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  34. ^ "Number portability for Telenor Mobile in Sweden". TietoEnator. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  35. ^ "Annual Work Plan (2008)" (PDF). Telekomünikasyon Kurumu (Telecommunications Authority). Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  36. ^ "Mobile number portability FAQs". Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Retrieved 2008-03-31.

See also

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