ACA launches investigation into
mobile number portability
The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) has launched a month-long
investigation into the performance of Australia’s mobile phone carriers
in delivering mobile number portability (MNP) to consumers.
ACA Acting Chairman Dr Bob Horton said a direction, under section 581
of the Telecommunications Act 1997, will be issued to all mobile carriers
- Hutchison, Optus, Telstra and Vodafone - to provide information to the
ACA about their MNP processes. A draft of that direction has been circulated
to the carriers for their initial comments.
The ACA has also formally directed Vodafone, under section 121 of the
Act, to comply with the mobile number portability code, following an earlier
warning to the carrier on the 25 November 2004. The ACA met senior Vodafone
management earlier this week before issuing the formal direction.
The direction follows an initial assessment of complaints by Telstra,
Optus and Hutchison that Vodafone was not complying with the code, as
well as an analysis of Vodafone performance data over the past year.
"Based on all available information, including advice from Vodafone,
the ACA is satisfied that Vodafone is continuing to contravene the MNP
industry code," Dr Horton said. "As a consequence, the ACA has
issued a direction to Vodafone to comply with the MNP code.
"This formal direction is to encourage Vodafone to redouble its
efforts to enhance the performance of its business systems," he said.
Dr Horton said the two directions had been issued so that the ACA investigation,
which would continue through January 2005, could lead to a complete understanding
of the continuing problems with MNP and a reasonable resolution.
"This is a whole of industry process that requires all industry
participants to be operating properly," he said. "The concern
is that if it is not fixed, the public may lose confidence in the entire
process.
"I would ask consumers to be patient while the ACA completes its
investigation into why MNP is not living up to the ACA’s expectations,"
he added. "Typically, it may mean a delay of one or two days for
a number to be ported."
Industry Code ACIF C570: 2003 Mobile Number Portability sets minimum
standards for processing consumers porting requests. Under the code, the
industry undertakes to process 90 per cent of mobile ports within three
standard hours of operation and 99 per cent of mobile ports within two
business days. In favourable circumstances, if all carriers’ systems
were operating smoothly, a number should be ported between carriers within
minutes.
"Mobile number portability was introduced to promote competition
and ensure consumers are not subjected to unnecessary delays and difficulties
in porting their numbers between the different carriers," Dr Horton
said.
"Any unnecessary delays or difficulties are simply unacceptable."
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