On the 24th of November, American cell phone users (in the top 100 metropolitan areas) will be able to change providers and keep their phone number. You can read about it over at Easyporting, porting being the name given to transferring your account.
Now this is kind of cool. I know that while I hate Telecom and would never consider changing my phone over to them, it is possible that if some other company arrived on the scene (say TelstaClear, if they weren't just using Vodafone anyway) and offered some good deal I would want to change over to using them, but indeed I would feel restricted by the thought of losing my number. I like it, and more importantly my legions of fans (to go with my millions of dollars you understand) know the number. Changing it would be a hassle. So I would probably not bother unless the deal was really excellent. And it seems unlikely that the deal would be cool enough for me to change.
So having the ability to take my number would obviously be good for me (if there was some competition) and so nice work America. However, it is rather strange that this number portability scheme is not some industry fed beast, but rather what must be as per the FCC. No, not that FCC, the Federal Communications Commission. (and also as backed up by section 251 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996)
And it was done to encourage competition, which is I fell mostly a good. But it is still somewhat strange that they should be forced to allow customers to take their numbers with them. It breaks down brand awareness, (and any associated coolness, like the 212 numbers that NYT claims are lusted after in NY? Who knows) and more importantly why should they have to let them? I mean the number belongs to them, it is part of their system, the person using it might get attached to it, but I'm not sure this means that they have the "right" to take it to some other provider.
You don't like the provider, choose another one. Can't take your number? Tough luck. You can't take your number with you when you move (as far as I can tell, at least not if you move very far) so why should you be able to do so with your cell number?
I also imagine that it is not the simplest thing to change this kind of thing. I could be wrong, but it seems that given the different techs, and crappy systems that the American phone companies use, I wouldn't be surprised if it was ultra difficult. The NYT tells me that since '96 the industry has spent US$1.2 billion on the problem (which seems like a lot, but who can tell) so it certainly isn't too easy. If they all used GSM it would be significantly more roxor, as the number and the account are just plugged into the phone, and those details could just be moved across from one database to another. But they don't, so I imagine there will be mucho handset buying to go along with changing providers. I'm rambling now, but this is a suck:
The F.C.C. rules state that wireless providers cannot prevent a customer from switching to another carrier for any reason - even outstanding charges or cancellation fees. While the providers hope customers will settle their bills, including any fee for breaking the existing contract, there is no protection for the providers if they do not.
That seems to suck. while I favour competition, I'm not sure why companies should be forced to provide this capability. Especially as they now get to (with the FCC's permission) charge a montly fee to customers to offset the cost of provideing this service. Gaaaay.
In conclusion however, many (if not all) American's seem to pay to receive calls, as well as SMS, (as well as the caller/sender) and this sucks more than anything, so I say screw the companies until they sort that shit out. Pay to receive? I think not baby puppy.
In other somewhat simillar news, the free headset from Vodafone has arrived.
And is broken.
Not is now broken, but arrived (in an absurdly oversized box) broken. Does not work, never did.
I took it to the store in the mall formerly known as Riccarton, and the Vodafone girl told me that because it was free, it didn't come with a warranty. Which may or may not be the case, but which I don't really care about, as I never really wanted it anyway.
It is more the fact that they went wohoo! Here is something we are going to give you because we are super. It is broken. Yeah, well maybe, but no warranty so move along buddy.
What a waste of my time. I will call them (now that I have found their secret "winning free stuff" number again. And hassle them for sending me a broken product. Maybe their rubbish bin was full?