Phone Number Portability Coming Soon to US

[Janak Parekh]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/891025.asp?0cv=TB10

"Life is about to get a little simpler for mobile phone users, who may soon avoid the hassle of changing phone numbers when switching wireless service providers, making it easier to take advantage of discount calling plans. Sure, it’s not quite the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it’s a change that will make it easier for people to keep in touch, no matter who manages the calls."

In a crucial move, Michael Powell, the chairman of the FCC, declined to extend the deadline for wireless carriers to implement number portability. Assuming no legal barriers hold up, we will be able to switch carriers without losing our number starting November 24 this year. Europeans, of course, have had this functionality for a while.

[Janak Parekh]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/891025.asp?0cv=TB10

"Life is about to get a little simpler for mobile phone users, who may soon avoid the hassle of changing phone numbers when switching wireless service providers, making it easier to take advantage of discount calling plans. Sure, it’s not quite the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it’s a change that will make it easier for people to keep in touch, no matter who manages the calls."

In a crucial move, Michael Powell, the chairman of the FCC, declined to extend the deadline for wireless carriers to implement number portability. Assuming no legal barriers hold up, we will be able to switch carriers without losing our number starting November 24 this year. Europeans, of course, have had this functionality for a while.

[thanos255]

Very nice....I hope this actually goes through
Probably will be a fee to change and a fee to cancel....may not be even worth it



Thanks
Thanos

[kagayaki1]

Hell yeah, it's about damn time. Amazing how we preach capitalism, but things like this remind us we don't necessarily live in a completely "free market."

-Jason

[ricksfiona]

Originally Posted by kagayaki1

Hell yeah, it's about damn time. Amazing how we preach capitalism, but things like this remind us we don't necessarily live in a completely "free market."

-Jason

Like Democracy, a free market only works great when enough people speak up and take action.

But THANK GOD we FINALLY have phone number portability. I don't think we'll have to pay a fee. Maybe initially, but not in the long haul.

Cell phone carriers want your business and will do just about anything to get it. Heck, they will throw in a $200($100 their cost) just so you can pay them $40 a month in service. So I think there will be a tiny fee if any to change carriers.

Customer service may become better and prices will probably go down on top of this.... Because what will differentiate one carrier from another? There are two groups of consumers:

1) Cost sensitive.
2) Quality/Customer Service/Performance.

Since about 80%+ of U.S. are in group 1, I think we'll see cost come down some more. A lot of people don't like to change carriers cause their phone number will change. If that barrier is gone, then people will look for the best deal. For them, they are looking for high-minute plans for as little cost. As long as they can make their phone calls and they are relatively clear, everything else doesn't matter much.

I'm in group 2 and represent a small percentage of people. Probably most upper-end business as well. So we'll see companies in that group deliver features for buisness like conferencing, data services and bill management etc...

[st63z]

Glory be! The exact reason why I stayed through my CDMA->TDMA->GSM forced march, so I could keep the same number...

[Wasp]

Me too! I have a nice phone number (ends with 00) and don't wish to lose it. Also, I have given my number to several people and would find it almost impossible to give them an updated number.

[SoylentK]

Originally Posted by WaSp

Me too! I have a nice phone number (ends with 00) and don't wish to lose it. Also, I have given my number to several people and would find it almost impossible to give them an updated number.

A good phone number can go a long way
(ends with 3456789 )
Thankfully I’ve had a great service with Orange but I have no problems with :scatter: if it doesn’t stay that way.

[dMores]

well i wonder what it's going to be like when someone sees a t-mobile number, and thinks it'll be cheap because he has t-mobile as well, but then the t-mobile number is actually from another provider, which will be more expensive.

i live in europe, and i have not yet seen a solution to this problem.

[Rob Alexander]

Originally Posted by dMores

well i wonder what it's going to be like when someone sees a t-mobile number, and thinks it'll be cheap because he has t-mobile as well, but then the t-mobile number is actually from another provider, which will be more expensive.

i live in europe, and i have not yet seen a solution to this problem.

I'm pretty sure the US still charges the receiver of the mobile call rather than the caller, so this wouldn't be a problem for them. It's something of a backward system, relative to the rest of the world, but prices per minute are so cheap that there doesn't seem to be any pressure to change it.

[dud]

Its really interesting to see how you guys over the pond are just talking about phone number potability, as in the UK we've had this option for years.

About 3 i think! As i changed from BT Cellnet [as it was called then: O2 now] to that of orange about 2.5 years ago.

Amazing when you think about it!!!

A warm welcom anyway as it forces service providers to be more competetive as there is very little holding people back from moving.

I hope this was enlightfull....

All the best and keep up the great work....

Guy