Source: ZDNet

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39490067,00.htm

Ofcom's plan to speed up number porting derailed

David Meyer  ZDNet.co.uk
Published: 19 Sep 2008 16:03 BST

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An attempt by communications regulator Ofcom to reduce the amount of time it takes to port a phone number from one mobile network to another has been derailed in court, following an appeal by Vodafone and other operators.

In 2007, Ofcom announced it wanted to see the creation of a "common database" (CDB) of mobile-phone numbers, which it said would help numbers to be ported between networks in as short a time as two hours. Number porting allows a phone user to take their number with them when they decide to switch mobile service provider.

However, Vodafone— backed up by O2, T-Mobile and Orange —  filed an objection to the plan with the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), arguing that Ofcom had not given a sufficient technical specification or accurate costing for the proposed database. On Thursday, the CAT handed down a judgement that found in favour of Vodafone. Ofcom's proposals have now been returned to the regulator for further analysis and revision.

The judgement was a "technical and legal decision that has somehow completely forgotten the consumer and is in danger of delaying the current process", Kevin Russell, chief executive of mobile company 3, said in a statement. The company, which is the smallest mobile carrier in the UK, backed Ofcom in the case.

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The database proposed by Ofcom would let a customer switch carriers without their subsequent calls having to be routed via the operator they had left. Instead, the calls would simply come straight through via the new carrier, thanks to that company being able to interrogate the common database.

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