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10 Questions About Wireless Local Number Portability
Cell phone users will have something else
to be thankful for just before this year's Thanksgiving holiday.
Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about
what the telecommunications industry and government regulators
call "Wireless Local Number Portability," or WLNP.
1. What
is Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP)?
2. When will
WLNP become available?
3. Will all cell phone users be affected?
4. Can I use my current phone with my new wireless carrier?
5. Can I transfer
my home telephone number to my cell phone?
6. Can I keep my number if I move to another city
7. What if I am still under contract with my current wireless carrier?
8. When should I cancel my current service?
9. How long will the porting process take?
10. Will I get charged for porting my number?
Q:
What is Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP)?
A: Today, when customers of
one wireless phone company -- also known as a "carrier"
-- switch service providers, they have to change their cell
phone number as well. Under a new federal mandate known as
Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP), customers will now
be allowed to transfer or “port” their current
cell phone number when changing wireless carriers.
Q:
When will WLNP become available?
A: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has
mandated that WLNP go into effect on November 24, 2003.
Q:
Will all cell phone users be affected?
A: Number portability will be available in the 100
largest metropolitan areas of the United States and Puerto
Rico initially. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1990
and 2000 census reports, the markets affected cover almost
70% of the United States population. The remaining 30% of
the country will be eligible for WLNP by May 24, 2004.
Q:
Can I use my current phone with my new wireless carrier?
A: Probably not, since different wireless carriers
operate incompatible network technologies. Additionally, most
cell phones are programmed to work only on the network of
the carrier that supplied the phone.
Q:
Can I transfer my home phone telephone number to my cell phone?
A: Yes. You can "cut the cord" and transfer
your home or office phone number to your cell phone, as long
as the wireless carrier you switch to provides coverage in
the location of your conventional phone line -- also called
a landline or wireline. Under FCC rules, local phone companies,
known as wireline carriers, are allowed up to four business
days to transfer a phone number between carriers. So you may
have to go several days without cell phone service if you
make such a switch. The FCC is studying the "porting
interval" for wireline carriers to determine if it should
be shorter. (See Question 9. How long will the transfer take?)
Q: Can I keep my
number if I move to another city?
A: No, not unless you are moving within the same local
geographic area where the phone number is currently assigned.
Even within the same telephone area code, you may be outside
the boundaries of the local calling area that determines if
your cell phone number is portable.
Q:
What if I am still under contract with my current wireless
carrier?
A: You are required to honor the full term of your
current contract or you will be charged a termination fee
that is specified in your subscriber agreement
Q:
When should I cancel my current service?
A: You should sign up with your new wireless carrier
and complete the number porting process without canceling
your current service. Canceling your current service before
the porting process is complete will cause you to lose the
ability to keep your current phone number. Requesting a number
transfer to a new carrier should automatically cancel your
previous service, once the transfer is complete.
Q:
How long will the transfer take?
A: The FCC has provided the telecommunications industry
with guidelines stating that the porting process should be
completed within 2 _ hours. That said, wireless carriers expect
up to 80% of the number transfer requests will not be processed
automatically, requiring some manual intervention on their
part. Because of potential glitches, the number transfer process
may take up to 4 days to complete, some carriers warn.
Q:
Will I get charged for transferring my number?
A: It may depend on the carrier you're leaving, since
several have not finalized or disclosed the specific policies
and procedures they will implement to comply with the WLNP
requirement. Verizon Wireless and others have announced their
intention not to impose a specific fee for transferring a
number to another carrier. But under FCC rules, carriers are
permitted to "recover" from subscribers costs directly
associated with offering number portability. The extent of
those costs is still being debated within the industry.
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