Cellphone number portability plan set

Canada’s wireless association is expected to outline a plan next week that would allow mobile phone users to keep their numbers when switching service providers.

Officials with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association were originally scheduled to discuss the plan with the federal telecom regulator on Monday, but scheduling problems have pushed back the date.

“ I would say, at the most, by mid-month they’ll be able to offer some sort of implementation guidelines,” said Marc Choma, a spokesperson for the Ottawawireless association.

Industry Canada urged the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in February to “ move expeditiously” on the issue. Two months later, the wireless industry voluntary committed to offering wireless number portability and hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to develop and complete a project plan by Sept. 1. Choma said the plan was delivered on time but a number of parties must still review it before a formal timeline is announced, as well as how much the service might cost consumers.

It’s widely expected that mobile phone users will have to wait until next year before number portability is offered.

Wireless number portability became mandatory in both the United States and the European Union in 2003, and was offered in Hong Kong and Singapore during the late 1990s.