Cingular ready for number portability?

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bones boy - 28 Aug 2003 06:43 GMT

I program many cell phones for my company, mostly bag phones and
various TDMA carriers. Recently, when activating phones w/ Cingular, I
am told to enter a different phone number into the programming menu
than is the assigned phone number. For instance, if the assigned phone
number is xxx-270-1234, I am given the System ID for that area, but
told to program a completely different number in programming mode,
like xxx-716-5678. (these are completely random numbers.) Cingular
says that this is how they are preparing to deal with number
portability. The Cingular reps aren't too forthcoming w/ details.
Anyone care to speculate?

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Alan - 28 Aug 2003 14:33 GMT

Sounds like they are using their own pool of numbers as the actual number
for the phone, which will be "hidden" from the customer. They will provide
a mapping of the ported phone number to the "hidden" nunber so people cal
call the ported number. For example:

ported number xxx-aaa-bbbb maps to xxx-ccc-dddd. The people call
xxx-aaa-bbbb, but get connected to xxx-ccc-dddd.

This would require minimal programming on the carrier's part, and as people
move from carrier to carrier, all a carrier has to do is add or delete the
mapping to/from the list.

Unfortunately, this method does nothing for the ever-expanding need for new
numbers (except make it worse), so prepare yourself for even more area code
overlays.

> I program many cell phones for my company, mostly bag phones and
> various TDMA carriers. Recently, when activating phones w/ Cingular, I
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> portability. The Cingular reps aren't too forthcoming w/ details.
> Anyone care to speculate?

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N9WOS - 28 Aug 2003 20:12 GMT

> Unfortunately, this method does nothing for the ever-expanding need for new
> numbers (except make it worse), so prepare yourself for even more area code
> overlays.

I believe it is to the contrary.

The Wireless number no longer has to have a corresponding
real number in the land line phone system.

So........
You would be able to use number that are already assigned to
normal land line phones.
Since the number never shows up on the normal switching network,
you don't have to worry about only using numbers from your allotted block.
You can use any number you want, as long as no other wireless phone uses it.
You can use numbers that are already in use by wireline phone.
The land line number that is linked to it will still have to be within the
designated wireless number block.

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NetworkEngineer@NetworkEngineerz.com - 29 Aug 2003 02:26 GMT

>Sounds like they are using their own pool of numbers as the actual number
>for the phone, which will be "hidden" from the customer. They will provide
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>numbers (except make it worse), so prepare yourself for even more area code
>overlays.

Your last statement is incorrect. All carriers use multiple numbers other than
the dialed digits to refer to a mobile subscriber.

What most of the carriers have done is set up a mask number in their databases
that is reusable. It does not consume actual dialed numbers or in any way create
more area code overlay necessity.

What causes area code overlays is reserved number blocks. Big companies that
reserve 1000 or more numbers on the same exchange in sequential order but do not
use them all. That consumes numbers. Carriers have tried to deal with this by
allowing for portions of blocks to be returned to the overall pool of free
numbers maintained by the central clearinghouse. It's helping, but it sure took
long enough.

A Network Engineer

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Chris Russell - 28 Aug 2003 21:30 GMT

I know that when I first got my Nokia 6340i GAIT phone last December, on
my bills a diffferent number showed up for voicemails and listed as
'CALL FWD'. It was the same AC, but diff. exchange and line #. If you
called either my cell phone # or this other #, you would get the same
voicemail recording made by me. It is a number from the same wireless
Ameritech switch. This may account for the second number programmed
into the phone.

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Chris

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