Number Portability Confusion Good for Wireless ResellerBusiness Model

Posted: 2/2004

Number Portability Confusion Good for Wireless Reseller
Business Model

By Kelly M. Teal

Wireless local number portability (WLNP)
is a revenue generator tailor-made for Cellnet Communications, a 20-year-old
wireless reseller serving Michigan and northern Ohio.

Cellnet works mostly with large companies, but also
individuals, helping sort through wireless carrier plans, coverage and pricing
structures to determine the best fit. The companys claim to fame, says Gary
Thison, Cellnets advertising marketing manager, is that it resells all six
wireless carriers in its market.

This puts the company in a position to help wireless users
figure out the best place or places to port their numbers.

Thison offers a hypothetical example in which a corporations
executives might need Verizon Communications coverage, while the sales team
needs Cingular Wireless while the truck fleet needs Nextel Communications. With
Cellnet, you have one company that you deal with, including repairs,
accessories, new equipment, etc., Thison says. We can save you substantial
money without changing carriers or phone numbers because, odds are, if youve
got a lot of phones, theres a lot of mismanaged expenses there.

He adds, for companies willing to change carriers, you may
save even more. Cellnets Right Rate program (www.rightrate.net) analyzes
businesses wireless bills, typically reducing them by 30 [percent] to 60
percent, Thison says.

For now, the wireless carriers bill the end user, but Cellnet
is considering a rebilling model.

To deal with the constant changes facing WLNP, Thison says
Cellnet maintains an orderly approach. A task force of 10 managers meets at
least once a week to discuss carrier changes and updates. Everyone also remains
up-to-date thanks to an internal newsgroup. Thison notes all of the carriers are having problems meeting
the FCCs requirement of a 2.5-hour number switchover process, and says
Cellnet constantly lets its customers know that portability likely will not be
stress-free. We put together information to share with our customers via
e-mail, via the fliers in our stores, via our sales reps presenting them to
customers, that explains the situation, he says.