Mobile Number Portability Launched in Canada

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association today announced the availability of wireless number portability (WNP) in metropolitan areas across the country.

This follows a decision issued in 2005 by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requiring Canadian cellphone service providers to implement wireless number portability (WNP) by March 14, 2007. Earlier in 2005, the Government of Canada had requested that the Commission move expeditiously to implement WNP.

In addition, WNP allows customers to transfer a phone number from a wireline phone to a wireless phone and vice versa. Canada is only the second country in the world (after the USA) to offer complete wireless-to-wireless, wireless-to-wireline and wireline-to-wireless portability.

"Although the 18-month implementation of WNP has been one of unparalleled complexity and cooperation within the Canadian telecommunications sector, the industry's significant investment and commitment to deliver this service to
Canadians has resulted in the fastest deployment of its kind in the world," said Peter Barnes, President & CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)."

Posted to the site on 14th March 2007