Brian Wolfaardt, technical and operations managerBrian Wolfaardt, technical and operations manager


WHY HAVEN’T YOU PORTED YOUR NUMBER YET?

Geographic Number Porting (GNP), means you don’t have to lose your 10 digit identity. GNP provides the freedom to choose your network without the hassle of changing your number.

KEEPING YOUR LINES OPEN

Email, Sms, social media. Customers are spoiled for choice when it comes to contacting you. It’s then critical in today’s fast paced electronic world that, if a customer actually picks up the phone, you are there to answer that call. If not, well, they’ll find someone who will.

REASONS TO CONSIDER PORTING

Your business is growing and your telephony requirements are following suit. You may need to upgrade users, accommodate satellite offi ces, move to a VoIP solution or migrate your telephony solution to the cloud. Perhaps you simply wish to change your telephony carrier. Historically, any of these instances would mean changing your telephone number. The cost of this could be far greater than having to reprint your marketing collateral. It could cost you a great portion of your loyal customer base who would think you’ve just disappeared.

As with mobile number portability, which allows you to change your mobile service provider without changing your cell phone number, so geographic number porting means that you can move to the telephone operator of your choice and take your 011; 021; 031 number with you!

KEEPING COMPETITION STRONG

Theoretically, GNP then forces telephony providers nationally to pull up their socks so as to retain customers. Perhaps this is the reason so little literature on the topic is available?

Not so, the majority of information currently available on the subject has in fact been published by Tier 1 telephony operators. That really is the crux of the matter because no matter whose invoice you are paying for your service, the actual [electronic communications] service is always ultimately supplied upstream by a Tier 1 operator. The owners of the infrastructure you are utilising.

“It’s puzzling that there has not been greater interest in geographic number porting, which allows users to benefit from increased between suppliers. I can only assume that not many people know the option is open to them,” says Brian Wolfaardt, technical and operations manager at BitCo. “Number portability means that users can really shop around for the best deal and newest technologies when it comes to fixed-line services.”

You too can choose the experience your employees and customers have on fixed-line services. It all comes down to choosing the right provider. Ask your provider about quality of service, service level agreements and uptime guarantees. If they can’t answer, you have the right to shop around and find a provider that can.

Tel: 08600 BITCO 24826 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Sms: iweek to 30690 Web: www.bitco.co.za