Mobile Phones

Chris Bryant
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations his Department has received from mobile network operators on mobile number portability.

Malcolm Wicks
All the mobile phone network operators meet with BERR officials and Ministers on a regular basis to discuss all types of mobile phone related issues. I am aware that some operators are not comfortable with the arrangements concerning mobile number portability, clearly these matters are commercially sensitive and we are not able to comment on company specific policy.

Chris Bryant
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of whether UKPorting will meet the September 2009 deadline set by Ofcom to ensure that the time taken to move a telephone number between mobile telephone operators is reduced to two hours.

Malcolm Wicks
At present we have not made our own assessment on whether the deadline set by Ofcom to ensure that the time taken to move a telephone number between mobile telephone operators is reduced to two hours will be met. Pending an ongoing Competition Appeals Tribunal investigation into this issue on 18 June 2008, it would be inappropriate to provide any comment until after that appeal has been heard.