Let Your Numbers Be Free!!

It’s here. Wireless number portability. I don’t feel different, and my phone still looks the same. Nonetheless it’s the dawning of a new era in Canadian Wireless communications.  Aside from a whirlwind of activity in the papers this past week, it’s been pretty quiet up to now on the significance of March 14th 2007 as to the impacts for Canadian consumers. It hasn’t been obvious that freedom was going to arrive at12:01 am.

Bell refused comment on the impact of number portability,Rogers said it will be “business as usual” while Telus called the change a “positive” opportunity.

I camped outside a Bell Mobility store at christmas, handing out WNP leaflets to unsuspecting folks, suggesting that they should postpone that new cellphone purchase for a few more months…. no, wait, just kidding. I considered the implications and then headed off in search of a Booser Juice;-) Unless you were really paying attention in the past 6 months,chances are that if your cell phone was ready to be replaced, or your service was ready to be renewed, you went ahead and recontracted for 2to 3 years. Sorry about that. Catherine McLean,from the Globe and Mail, has a great series of questions and answers on WNP.  Questions sent in from the pubic indicate a VERY wide gap in understanding cell phone service. Mark Goldberg mentions that most folks aren’t fully aware of the all the changes and potential upside/downside to number portability.  He had a great idea tho - move your cell phone to your VoIP provider, and get funky with the follow me features…. great idea Mark!!!

I expect the next few months are going to be quite lively.

globeandmail.com: Number portability

Tomorrow,cellphone users in parts of the country will be able to transfer their current phone numbers from one provider to another.

Technorati Tags: WNP, wireless, canada, Booster Juice