washingtonpost.com
FCC Approves Home-To-Cell Number Rule
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
The Associated Press
Monday, November 10, 2003; 4:55 PM
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."
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yahoo.com
I was kinda shocked when they
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