British consumers will be able to transfer their mobile telephone number to an alternative supplier within two hours under new plans being proposed by telecoms regulator Ofcom. Currently mobile users have to wait up to five days to switch their mobile number and Ofcom has said this needs to be improved to stimulate more competition within the market.
In a statement the regulator said it would like to see the new system in place in just over two years and an interim improvement to a switchover period of two days by April 2008.
Ofcom also said it was consulting on an option that would require mobile providers move to a recipient-led process, meaning customers would only need to make one call, to the provider they wish to join.