Two Networks Sign Number Portability Pact

Two USA networks, Nextel and SprintPCS have announced the completion of the first Service Level Agreement (SLA) to facilitate the porting of mobile phone numbers between non-affiliated carriers. The Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) WLNP mandate is effective on Nov. 24, 2003 and allows wireless customers to switch their phone numbers when moving service to another carrier.

SLAs are contractual agreements between service providers that are intended to facilitate the porting process and, ultimately, result in a quick and consumer-friendly port between carriers. Because the FCC has provided no rules on WLNP to govern the exchange of information between carriers about a number being ported, and the time within which that exchange has to happen, Nextel and Sprint have taken the initiative to set an industry precedent regarding mutual agreements to help resolve this outstanding issue. Nextel and Sprint continue to look to the FCC for WLNP industry standards and urge other carriers to actively negotiate and work to standardize processes prior to November 24 in the absence of FCC action.

Sprint and Nextel are both preparing their internal systems and business processes and aggressively testing to support number portability in advance of the November 24 deadline.

In an effort to provide consumers a smooth porting process, Sprint and Nextel have been actively pursuing SLAs with wireless and wireline service providers since the beginning of the year, including all of the national wireless carriers. These efforts, however, have proven extremely difficult given the lack of FCC guidance on the standards for porting numbers between carriers, especially agreements with wireline carriers that are seeking to impose new conditions on porting obligations not required under FCC rules."

Posted to the site on 30th September 2003