FCC approves transfer of home numbers to cell phones

[Gamer03]

Home numbers get OK to roam

FCC approves transfer of home numbers to cell phones

By Jonathan D. Salant
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 — Federal regulators gave the go-ahead Monday for consumers to switch their home phone numbers to their cell phones. The Federal Communications Commission said people will be able to transfer their numbers as long as their wireless coverage area overlaps the location of their conventional phone. The FCC also said it wants to allow people to transfer cell numbers to conventional phones but needs to gather more information first.

THE NEW HOME-TO-CELL number rule takes effect Nov. 24, the same day wireless customers will be able to keep their numbers when they switch cell phone companies. The rules govern customers living in the 100 most populous metropolitan areas and take effect six months later for all others.
“After today, it’s easier than ever to cut the cord,” FCC Chairman Michael Powell said. “By firmly endorsing a customer’s right to untether themselves from the wireline network — and take their telephone number with them — we act to eliminate impediments to competition between wireless and wireline services.”
Consumer advocates have long said that technological advances made it unnecessary for phone customers to have different home and cell numbers, and that they should be allowed to take their cell phone numbers with them when they change companies.
“When we reduce the switching costs of going from one carrier to another, you’re making the market more competitive,” said Chris Murray, legislative counsel for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine.
“There’s both the economic cost of a new phone number — having to print new business cards, having to potentially contact everyone who might have your phone number — and massive inconvenience,” he said.”

Home numbers get OK to roam

[bobolito]

Boy you beat me to it, I was just gonna post this [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[Gamer03]

Sorry bobolito.

You, on the other hand, have 4771 posts, and I only have 199, so I need as many as possible....LOL

Gamer

[WirelessBeachBum]

Knowing my local ILEC (and I do, I used to be the Sales Manager of their CLEC division) I'm sure they will find a way to get around having to do this. I hope not though because I can Honestly see more sales of wireless service coming from this than from Wireless LNP.

[Gamer03]

I agree with you WirelessBeachBum.

That is a good point.


Gamer

[bobolito]

Originally posted by: Gamer03
Sorry bobolito.

You, on the other hand, have 4771 posts, and I only have 199, so I need as many as possible....LOL

Gamer

Not to worry. No harm done. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[MOTOhooligan]

Rate Centers are going to be the key to wireline to wireless portability. The wireline carriers are going to complain and complain about having to port numbers and eventually it's going to be such a hassle that most people won't want to put up with it.

[XprtCop]

Wireline to Wireless number portability will take up to 10 days. and Wireless to Wireless WLNP will take from 2 hours to 48 hours.
In the meantime have BOTH phones with you because the old phone will not make calls anymore but you need it to receive calls while your number is fully ported to the new phone. and same goes for the new phone, it will only make calls but not receive them. You will receive a text message on your new Handset confirming the full activation.

[kranium007]

I am not looking forward to porting numbers. I have a feeling its not going to be as easy as they make it sound. A few weeks ago we went to the training for it in Trevose, Pa. I have a much better understanding of it, but still think it will be a pain in the a$$. A lot of customers don't have the patience to wait up to 48 hours for something like that. We'll see what happens. 12 more days.

[GoodmanR]

if your not looking forward to it, dont use it

no one is forcing anyone to port their number

[MOTOhooligan]

Actually, people are forcing kranium to port their numbers. He's either a CSR or a sales rep (sorry Big K, I can't remember which.) so people are going to be coming in starting the 24th and wanting him to do it for them. Should be fun. Luckily I only have 5 small areas which qualify as they are part of larger MSAs within the CellularONE coverage area so hopefully my having to deal with WLNP customers will be limited. I just took the training course on Tuesday.

[WirelessBeachBum]

Eventually it will get us all...but for us on commission it's a good thing.....i hope.

[kranium007]

Originally posted by: GoodmanR
if your not looking forward to it, dont use it

no one is forcing anyone to port their number

not for me personally. i'm not leaving verizon. for the many customers i already have lined up to call for porting numbers once it begins. i just think there are going to be major issues when this all starts. i could be wrong. guess ill have to wait and see.

[kranium007]

Originally posted by: rancidhooligan
Actually, people are forcing kranium to port their numbers. He's either a CSR or a sales rep (sorry Big K, I can't remember which.) so people are going to be coming in starting the 24th and wanting him to do it for them. Should be fun. Luckily I only have 5 small areas which qualify as they are part of larger MSAs within the CellularONE coverage area so hopefully my having to deal with WLNP customers will be limited. I just took the training course on Tuesday.

i am in an area where there are MANY numbers that fall into our market. there are so many freekin' area codes that are local here its insane. i am looking forward to gaining new customers. i jsut dont want this to be a hassle for them. coming to a new company should be an easy transition for them, not a mess. and based on what i know about the porting centers and systems, there is a great potential for f-ups within the system. i dont want that to happen to my customers.
less frustration for them = less frustration for me = more customers, more money & more referrals (which is what 90% of my customer base comes from). i like to keep my customers happy. if they arent happy, then my wallet isnt happy and i go on a bank robbing spree which isnt good for anyone.