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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Moderated Thread - please read rules before posting -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Biddle who wrote (31680)	1/24/2003 7:27:30 PM
From: John Biddle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 196562

Mobile phone cos ask to expand number portability Reuters, Friday January 24, 12:19 pm ET By Andy Sullivan biz.yahoo.com WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Customers should be able to transfer their telephone numbers when they cancel regular phone service and rely only on a cell phone, wireless providers have told U.S. regulators. A cell-phone trade group filed a petition late Thursday with the Federal Communications Commission declaring that newly drafted number portability rules should apply to local phone providers, as well as mobile phone companies. The rules, scheduled to take effect this November, would allow customers to keep their existing phone numbers when they switch from one wireless provider to another. Existing regulations allow customers to keep their numbers when they switch from one "land line" provider to another and the FCC has extended that obligation to the wireless world. Wireless companies like Verizon Wireless and T-MobileUSA Wireless have lobbied hard against the measure, but have only been able to convince the FCC to postpone the implementation date several times. They say companies will be forced to spend about $1 billion to accommodate number portability -- money better spent on new towers to improve coverage -- while the rules will not allow most "land line" customers to keep their phone numbers if they opt to rely solely on cell phone service. The FCC should extend that requirement to all customers, the industry's top lobbyist said. "Number portability is as unnecessary in the competitive wireless market as socks on a fish, but the FCC has made the situation even worse," said Tom Wheeler, president of the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association. An FCC spokeswoman said the agency would examine the proposal and ask for public input. Any decision is not likely for at least several months, she said. Responding to industry requests, the FCC has delayed implementation of the rules several times. One lawmakers urged the FCC to avoid any further delays, noting that number portability will improve competition and service among wireless carriers. "The hassle and financial hardship associated with switching to a new number allow wireless providers to 'lock in' customers and prevent them from taking advantage of the latest and most competitive plans offered by the industry," New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell. Verizon wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ - News) and Vodafone Group Plc (London:VOD.L - News) , while T-MobileUSA is a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG (XETRA:DTEGn.DE - News). ----- This is rich. Wireless carriers have been fighting cellular number portability for several years, successfully. Now that they may not get another postponement on their own they bemoan the lack of cross-portability from landline to cellular. That ought to be good for another delay, unless the FCC sees through this charade and forces cellular number portability to go forward on time. They can and should add the new cross-portability request as a separate item with its own implementation schedule.