Mobile number portability

Various call routing implementations exist globally, but the International and European best practice employs a central database (CDB) of ported numbers.

The majority of established and emerging MNP systems worldwide rely on this ACQ/CDB method for call routing.

Additionally, indirect routing poses risks: if the donor network experiences a fault or ceases operations, customers with ported numbers will lose incoming calls.

[3] However, in 2010, Ofcom reversed this decision following objections from major UK telecom operators regarding the cost analysis of the mandate and a successful appeal by Vodafone in 2008.

[4][5] Prior to March 2008, the minimum porting time in the UK was 5 working days, compared to 3.5 days in Pakistan, 2 hours in the United States, as quickly as 20 minutes in the Republic of Ireland, 3 minutes in Australia and a few seconds in New Zealand.

On 17 July 2007, Ofcom concluded a review mandating a reduction of porting time to 2 working days effective 1 April 2008.

By reducing the obstacles to switching, MNP benefits challenger carriers in competition with dominant incumbents.

According to a report by the Irish regulator Comreg, over 3 million mobile numbers were ported in Ireland between 2004 and 2013.

[8] In contrast, Portugal, which has a much larger population of mobile users, saw just over one million numbers ported during a similar timeframe.

Service handled by PortingXS Archived 22 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine via the Inports Number Portability System.