MNP: Carriers do the customer scramble - News - Communications

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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MNP: Carriers do the customer scramble

By Jeanne-Vida Douglas, ZDNet Australia
September 26, 2001
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/MNP-Carriers-do-the-customer-scramble/0,130061791,120260708,00.htm

The launch of MNP has seen Australia's leading mobile phone carriers launching into to an all in brawl for customers, as the hearts and minds of mobile users are once again on the market, and business contracts become the most sought-after prey.

Fiercest on the field is Optus, armed with an aggressive attempt to win through new customers through a series of -no risk switch" deals aimed at consumer, SME and corporate clients. Similarly Orange hit the ground running with a new range of handsets, and a SME focussed plan designed to attract business clients.

Tony Rusten, group manager mobile number portability with Optus told ZDNet Australia the company had gained at least three major corporate clients on the first day of MNP operations, and was banking on the success of its corporate consolidation marketing.

-MNP is the perfect opportunity for corporations to consolidate their services under the one carrier, and we have had HSBC, IBM and Tower all consolidated their services with us today," Rusten said.

As can be expected, rivalries have emerged between the carriers, each claiming to have the fastest porting time in the business.

In the Optus corner, Rusten was claiming an average porting time of 30 to 60 minutes well below the two hours and 50 minutes required by the ACCC.

However, in this respect Telstra is unfurling a victory flag and claiming its first new customer made the switch at 9.15am from the Gold Coast.

Chris Newlan, Telstra's On Air corporate relations manager told ZDNet Australia that the switch was made in a matter of 16 minutes.

Newlan also claimed Telstra had one over some major corporate clients, however he refused to reveal exactly who they were or how many business had made the switch.

Germaine Graham corporate communications manager for Vodafone said that despite some technical hiccups the implementation of MNP was going very well.

-There have been some minor glitches, however given that we saw the one of the most complicated technical multi-vendor implementations every carried out in Australia the day has gone surprisingly well," Graham said.

The carriers were less enthusiastic talking about potential losses to the client base, and although Graham described the process so far as proof that the major carriers could work together, the proof of the MNP pudding will be revealed once the billing systems catch up with the porting changes.