Cable & Wireless calls for new deadline for MNP
27 March 2007
Cable & Wireless is calling on Jersey Telecom to commit to
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and accede to customers’ wishes and
the requirements of the JCRA.
The JCRA last year issued a direction to all Jersey mobile
operators to implement a system that allowed MNP by 31 January 2007
or ‘at the latest’ by 31 March 2007. This followed a survey
by the JCRA which found that more than half of all Jersey Telecom
mobile customers said they would not change provider unless they
could keep their existing number (JCRA Position Paper on Number
Portability, 5 June 2006, page 7).
The same survey found that 88% of business customers and 91% of
private customers considered this facility was either important or
very important when deciding whether to switch operator (JCRA
Position Paper on Number Portability, 5 June 2006, page 6).
In an open letter in today’s Jersey Evening Post, Cable &
Wireless is asking the JCRA to set a new deadline for compliance of
1 July. It comes after Jersey Telecom withdrew from the
working party set up to agree a system of implementation for
MNP.
In the letter, the company calls on the public and business
customers to make their views known to the JCRA and JT.
‘We would ask all businesses and consumers in Jersey to make
their views known to Jersey Telecom, the JCRA and all those in a
position to bring this unacceptable delay to an end.’
Marketing manager Steve Eldridge said Cable & Wireless has
invested £500,000 in Jersey preparing for MNP, including a
technical solution that was offered to Jersey Telecom and would be
at no cost to customers.
In the independent study that Cable & Wireless commissioned,
94% of consumers said they wanted MNP, which reinforces the JCRA’s
survey. If you consider that Jersey Telecom has stated it
invested £12 million to establish Wave Telecom in Guernsey, an
investment in delivering real choice for Jersey consumers and
businesses is now due,’ he said.
Provided Jersey Telecom rejoined the process now, Mr Eldridge
said there is no reason why a system could not be in place by 1
July.
One obstacle to agreement was removed earlier this month when
Guernsey’s Office of Utility Regulation proposed that mobile
operators there should join the Jersey working party to investigate
potential solutions for Guernsey. Jersey Telecom had
previously suggested that Guernsey should be part of any MNP
solution in Jersey in order for it to be cost-effective.