GSMA launches PathFinder Number Portability Discovery

The GSMA has announced the launch of PathFinder Number Portability Discovery, a GSMA-managed service that will be operated by Neustar, Inc. Designed as a state-of-the-art solution for global number portability, the new service encompasses 2.2 billion telephone numbers that are impacted by number portability worldwide, a figure which is expected to rise rapidly. Number Portability is currently implemented in over 52 countries globally, with many more, including China and India, expected to launch by the end of 2010. The service will also aggregate numbering plan data from virtually every country in the world, including those with high number portability penetration.

PathFinder was created by the GSMA to provide an interoperable, industry-wide solution that enables the routing of global IP service interconnect traffic. The new Number Portability Discovery service will make use of PathFinder's extensive number portability database, which provides access to all national numbering plans and number portability information, where available, throughout the world. With adaptable and extensible interfaces, the service can rapidly incorporate new number portability data for countries coming on line or that plan to implement number portability in the future.