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Ofcom speeds up mobile number porting, but 3 still not happy

by Scott Bicheno on 9 July 2010, 10:49

Tags: Three (HKG:0013), Ofcom

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Mobile moves

Ofcom has revealed the conclusions of a surprisingly lengthy review of the process of transferring your mobile phone number from one provider to another.

Currently mobile operators are required to take two days at most to allow the transfer of your mobile number should you switch providers. As of 11 April next year, that time is halved to one day.

Additionally the porting authorisation code (PAC) must now be issued either immediately by phone or within two hours by text of the request being made. Right now, some operators send the PAC by snail mail, which can significantly delay the process, and it has been felt that complicating the number porting process has been used as a way of ensuring customer loyalty.

These measures are being positioned as making it easier for customers to switch and thus making the market more competitive, but the smallest UK operator - 3 - thinks they don't go far enough.

For some reason, nobody at 3 wanted to put their name to the complaint, but a mystery spokesman said: "Ofcom's decision today has failed UK consumers. Fast, easy, recipient-led Mobile Number Porting is the fundamental platform for choice and competition in the mobile market.

"Nowhere else in Europe is a consumer forced to ask permission to take their number with them when they choose a new operator. The donor-led porting system that Ofcom proposes to keep makes it difficult for customers to choose a deal that suits their needs."

Right now you need your current operators' assistance in moving your mobile number - something they have a clear disincentive to do. 3 wants the job of moving your number to be handled by the new operator.

Clearly 3 thinks this would better enable it to take customers from the other four, and those four are keen to keep the donor-led system. Various reasons have been put forward why a move would be bad, including cost, but it's hard not to sympathise with 3 to some extent as it strives to compete in an increasingly consolidated UK mobile phone market.

 



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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I reckon the current system where you have to request the PAC code is the best way to do this.

This is because you have to authenticate yourself with your current provider to get the PAC code and then give this to your new provider.

If they rid this side and allow the network operators to handle the requests, this always leaves the process open to unauthorised switching, which has occured in the past on landlines.
3 are having a laugh, I was just in the position of trying to move away from 3 using the PAC system and it was the worst experience I have ever had in using the PAC code system from any operator.

Clearly before they criticise the system they should get in order themselves.

What a joke !!!
Im sure they just see the bank adverts that say “Move your account to us, we'll do all the work and switch your direct debits etc for you” and wish they could do that.

IMHO the best system is one where you dont have to talk to any CS reps to get the PAC code, just go online, log into your account, enter your IMEI number, and click “Request PAC”.
I'm glad I have to ask for my PAC code. I wouldn't want it to go down the same route as landlines where unscrupulous companies just switch your service without the proper authorisation and the consumer is left to sort out the mess.
For me personally, the biggest consumer issue is that you can't transfer a number from one t-mobile a/c to another t-mobile account. Recently I could get a much better deal on a HD2 from random internet company than T-mobile would give me via their internal upgrade process. But to keep my number, I had to PAC code the number to an orange PAYG, and then PAC it back to T-Mobile.

I can see that Companies would want to control what offers they give to new vs existing customers (and arguably have a right to that control), but I Think ofcom should be standing up for us consumers on this one.