» New FCC Rules Help the VoIP Consumer

New FCC Rules Help the VoIP Consumer

The FCC has announced new rules for the time in which a losing carrier must release numbers to port, reducing wait times to a single day. Until now providers had 4 business days before they were required to release a number that they controlled. In the past, some telecoms have taken advantage of this wait time to make it harder for their customers to leave. This is great news for the consumer, as it means a much smoother transition to a new service provider.

The news was applauded by mobile carriers Verizon and T-mobile, who embrace the rules that make it easier for mobile users to change providers. Likewise, the VoIP industry should be celebrating this new development. One of the major concerns with switching to a new VoIP service in the past has been keeping your current telephone number. Customers that switch close to the weekend have had to wait up to a week before their number could port over, assuming that the transition went seamlessly. More often than not, several checks are necessary to ensure that all the information is accurate, and the wait time can easily grow to 10 business days. This new development will make porting a much more painless process for the end user.

In addition to faster transition times, the trickle down effect will most likely result in better service for the end user. Instead of relying on the difficulty of transitioning to a new service, service providers will need to keep their customers by providing a superior product, instead of a painful withdrawal process. The VoIP industry will benefit greatly from the new FCC regulations, and the VoIP consumer will come out ahead in more ways than one.