FCC Still Pushing for Number Portability on Nov. 24

JediAeryn writes "eWeek.com is reporting the latest on cell phone "number portability." Looks like the FCC is requiring wireless carriers to allow customers to take their numbers with them beginning Nov. 24th. This is all well and good, provided these companies don't throw out more lawsuits to slow the process. My local Verizon store has been giving me the same date for several weeks, but mentioned that other companies are afraid of losing their current customers. My question to the Slashdot community is this: is that a valid concern? Do you plan to switch carriers, and for what reasons?"

Re:It doesn't cause any problems here in the UK

[Anonymous Coward]

Minor note - that should be PAC (Porting Authorization Code). A PUK (Phone UnlocKing code) is only necessary if you have a phone locked to a particular network, which you want to use with a different network.

I've kept the same number for about five years now, with four changes across three different networks (vodafone -> cellnet -> vodafone -> cellnet -> orange), largely due to the fact that new subscriber deals are much better than contract continuation deals. They will try to persuade you to stay, but they've never managed to match the deal I can get by changing.

I know I switched

[Gubbe]

Number portability got into effect in Finland a couple of months ago. Previously I hadn't felt the need to switch my operator, but now that I could keep my number I switched from Radiolinja to Saunalahti. They also supply my DSL so I don't have to pay a separate monthly fee. I pay .11 to .23 cents per minute (depending on destination operator) and only 1,50e per megabyte for GPRS which is cheap compared to my previous operator. Saunalahti also uses Sonera's network which is the best this country has to offer.

I'm not the only one to switch either. In fact, since number portability came into effect, almost all carriers have been swamped with orders. Some people switch because they are offered freebies, some switch due to low prices and some switch just because they have been pissed off by their original operator one too many times. One thing is for sure. People are switching and the competition is fierce.

I see no reason why it should be any less fierce in the US and as we all know, the more there is competition, the better it is for the consumer.

Re:Can I move it to VoIP?

[sstidman]

No, you won't, unfortunately. The FAQ is found at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/numbport.html [fcc.gov]. Although the FCC does not specifically talk about VoIP, here is the answer they provide for portability between land lines and mobile lines:

Can I Keep the Same Wireline Telephone Number if I Switch My Local Telephone Service to a Cellular or Personal Communications Service (PCS) Telephone Service Provider or Vice-Versa?

Cellular and other wireless carriers are not required to provide telephone number portability at this time. For this reason, customers cannot retain the same local telephone number if they change their local service from a wireline local telephone company to a wireless carrier, like a cellular or PCS service provider. Likewise, customers cannot switch from a cellular or PCS service provider to a local wireline service provider and keep the same cellular or PCS telephone number.

At this point in time, the FCC does not regulate VoIP. Some people want that to change, but for now they don't. Therefore the FCC will not be mandating number portability between VoIP and any other phone system anytime soon. And there won't be any voluntary effort to setup NP between VoIP and anything else because it costs money to setup the NP system and the phone companies fear that creating an NP system will result in the loss of customers. In my view, only the phone companies that suck should have to worry about that.

Re:Not soon

[fuzzybunny]

You're right, it's crap. GSM is "an" (not "the") answer, at least the way it's implemented in most European countries. You have a GSM phone, there's a standard chip slot (same form factor is mini-smart cards used in USB dongles), and you get a new chip every time you switch providers (and you keep your number without any fees.)

Generally there are fairly hefty withdrawal fees, but you can get a new phone at a hefty discount
when you sign up, and you can normally get a fairly decent phone at a good price every two years or so if you stick with your provider. The phone's yours.

I like it; I've had better quality services here (all over Europe) than anywhere I've used any cell phones back home in California. The pricing's a bit higher, although with all the surcharges US providers have, I don't think it makes too much of a difference. And the cool thing for me is that as long as I'm on my provider's network in Switzerland, all the calls are at the "mobile" rate. Long distance is only when you call to or from other countries (in all of which my phone works).

True, the rates are a bit higher if I call outside my provider's network, but that's a pretty insubstantial difference.

are you kidding??!

[snooo53]

Who do you have as a carrier? I've been using Sprint PCS for the last couple years and they have never done anything like that!

In fact, just the opposite. I've been gradually upgrading my plan by continuing my service for another year, and now I must say I have an awesome plan.

$28 a month, 300 anytime, unlimited nights and weekends (starting at 8pm), free wireless web, pcs->pcs calling. I think it's an awesome deal for the amount I use the phone.

You know how I got those? I just called the customer service center and asked if they could do anything better for me. That's all. I didn't even have to play the "i've been thinking about switching to carrier xxxx" card, either.

I don't think you understand how much the companies WANT to have you as a customer. They don't have a monopoly, (unless you're in po dunk, nowhere) and they know it. Threaten to switch carriers and I bet you they will give you a deal. If not, well, that's their loss.. it's how the free market works. In that case switch to a new carrier and probably get a free phone out of the deal.

Re:Pepsi Challenge here in the woods

[slykens]

Give me signal strength out here in the woods, and I'll give you my money

Not to diminsh your choice of locations to live but UHF and nearly microwave RF doesn't penetrate woods very well. If you're serious about getting good signal inside your house don't expect the mobile carrier to plop a tower nearby to help you out. Get yourself a cellular repeater (about $700) and install it in your house. You indicate that Cingular is fine outside the house, then a repeater would make it fine inside the house.

I live in the middle of a well populated area and have one bar inside my house and two to three outside. If I place one of these repeaters with a yagi pointed at the local cell I could expect to get 4-5 bars inside my house. Not a bad improvement.

One place that sells cell repeaters is http://www.jdteck.com/product/phprepeater.htm