TORONTO – Sir Richard Branson today released an open letter to Canadians calling on them to exert whatever pressure they can to get wireless phone number portability to happen in Canada in 2006, not 2007, as the three largest wireless providers have decided (as reported this week by www.cartt.ca.
His release reads:
Virgin Mobile Canada launched on March 1st, 2005 with a promise to shake up the mobile market and offer customers a simpler, better deal. One of the first issues that we identified in the mobile industry and that I spoke out publicly about was the fact that Canadians do not have the option to switch companies and keep their phone number, known as Number Portability. As a result, Canadians are losing out.
In every country in which Virgin Mobile operates, we have seen that Number Portability puts customers in the driver’s seat and allows competition to thrive. You pay every month for the privilege of using your mobile phone and shouldn’t have to lose your number if you want to switch carriers.
At Virgin Mobile, we believe you shouldn’t be held hostage by your mobile phone company.
On Monday, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association released a plan that will only see Number Portability available in Canada in late 2007. This, in my view, is an absolute disgrace and completely unacceptable.
Number Portability has been available to mobile customers in other markets for years. Clearly, Canada’s mobile carriers are dragging their heels on this issue because it isn’t in their best interests — they want to lock their customers in with one carrier.
Virgin Mobile is pleased to take up the challenge to speak on behalf of Canadians in support of a much faster implementation timeline for Number Portability than is currently planned. We know it can be achieved in only a few months.
It’s not too late to change the proposed timelines. You can help make a difference in our campaign to speed up the implementation of Number Portability. We encourage you to email us with your support of Number Portability at: mynumberismobile@virginmobile.ca.
Alternatively, write to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association and your mobile carrier with your views.
Let’s bring competition back to the Canadian mobile industry and make Number Portability happen in 2006.
Sincerely,
Sir Richard Branson
Chairman, Virgin Group and
Founder Virgin Mobile Canada
