A lesson for U.S. mobile from H.K.
Relating to my last entry, Gillmor wrote an article for Silicon Valley regarding Hong Kong's mobile number portability, and what lessons the U.S. can learn from it. While U.S. residents await with anticipation, and phone operators dread the impending release of phone numbers to subscribers, the Hong Kong mobile market has had such portability since 1999.
The good news is that it can be a win-win situation. The change will spawn fierce competition among mobile operators, because subscribers will be able to shop around without having to worry about giving up their present numbers. So shop they will. Likewise, because of this convenience, a larger number of new subscribers will surge, affording mobile operators to stay profitable and competitive. So compete they will.