The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission welcomed the start of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) from today.
"MNP will be a great benefit to competition and consumers although customers thinking of switching their mobile service provider should be aware of a number of important issues", ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.
"Consumers, including small businesses, should remember:
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do not terminate existing mobile phone service before requesting a port otherwise you may not be able to retain your existing mobile phone number
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ask your current mobile service provider to tell you about any early termination fees and outstanding contractual obligations if you want to end the contract early
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get advice from prospective new service providers on the technical and practical requirements involved in changing service providers - for example, is it possible to use your existing SIM card and handset?
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take all necessary details of your mobile contract with you when requesting a port, for example full name, account number plus personal identification.
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if you have a prepaid contract that is still current, you may need to get your handset unlocked. Ask your current service provider if and how much this will cost?
MNP allows customers to retain their mobile phone number when changing their mobile service provider, a process known as porting. MNP will also allows customers the flexibility to switch between GSM and CDMA mobile services.
"The ACCC believes that MNP will increase competition between mobile carriers which should see benefits flowing on to customers as long as they are well informed of the issues involved so they can take full advantage of MNP.
"Consumers should be aware of the terms and conditions of their existing mobile phone contracts and particularly that MNP does not cancel out contractual obligations with their existing service provider. "Strict time limits have been agreed and set by industry for the completion of a port. The Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) Code on MNP C570 sets out these time limits. In the absence of technical difficulties, porting a single number should take no more than a few hours. This sets a new international best practice standard for porting.
"With the introduction of MNP, the ACCC will be strongly enforcing consumer protection provisions under the Trade Practices Act 1974. The ACCC shall closely monitor any complaints alleging unconscionable conduct, misleading or deceptive conduct and/or false or misleading representations. The ACCC has put all carriers on notice that it will be thoroughly investigating all consumer complaints".
The ACCC in conjunction with the Australian Communication Authority (ACA) and Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) have developed an information package covering a range of consumer issues.