Phone number portability one step closer – Vanterpool

Minister with responsibility for telecommunications, Mark Vanterpool has informed that the Government is now in the process of engaging professionals who are capable of making phone number portability a reality for the territory.

Number portability allows a cellphone customer to change telecom providers without having to change phone numbers.

“We have started to engage discussions on that matter with a professional, [from] our conference that we went to in the Dominican Republic earlier this year. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) is following up on engaging in this direction,” Vanterpool told the House of Assembly yesterday while responding to questions posed by Opposition member Julian Fraser.

Fraser has been actively lobbying for number portability to become a reality for the territory.

Earlier this year Vanterpool revealed that the Government intends to put legislation in place to facilitate the process.

No charge

In the meantime, during the sitting of the House yesterday, Vanterpool also revealed that he had been given the assurance by telecommunication companies that customers will not be billed for the period they were without service as a result of Hurricane Irma.

“I have been assured by all telecommunication operators. However, mobile customers who have used roaming services, for example, may be billed accordingly.”

Meanwhile, Vanterpool is informing BVI Cable TV users to query their bills if they feel they have been charged unduly.

“If a customer feels they have been billed unduly they should contact an operator for verification and if they are not satisfied they can or may escalate their complaint to their Telecommunications Regulatory Commission for clarity and in turn, the Ministry will look into this,” he vowed.