OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-More than three months after the implementation of wireless local number portability, wireless retail managers report that the number of problems related to the porting process has dropped by 30 percent and that since the beginning of the year the number of porting requests has increased, according to a survey conducted by The Management Network Group Inc.
The survey found that during the first two weeks of LNP nearly 43 percent of port requests experienced one or more problems, but that since Jan. 1 the number of problem ports has fallen to 15 percent. The study also found that the number of retailers reporting at least as many ports as expected or more has increased from 60 percent during the first month of LNP to 72 percent since the first of the year.
“It’s clear from our retailer survey that wireless carriers are making substantial strides in making the porting process work for subscribers,” said Rich Nespola, chief executive officer of TMNG. “However, with some retailers reporting that [LNP] volumes are on the increase since [Jan. 1], and with the opening of all U.S. markets to [LNP] on May 24, carriers need to continue improving the porting process by conducting proper testing to handle the anticipated volumes as well as preparing sales and customer care representatives.”
Wireless retailers noted store associates were handling an average of 2.7 port requests per day with one-fourth of associates handling five or more requests per day. The survey also found that 94 percent of retailers said they received an average of three hours of LNP training prior to the Nov. 24 implementation, though only 46 percent said they received an upgrade to their order management systems in the store.
