Subject: [NEXTEL-1] US FCC urges wireless number moves in under 3 hours

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 14:34:04 -0400

Reuters
US FCC urges wireless number moves in under 3 hours
Tuesday October 7, 2:24 pm ET

WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - U.S. wireless customers should be able to change
carriers in less than three hours while not giving up their numbers, according to
guidance that federal regulators issued to companies on Tuesday.

The Federal Communications
Commission said it saw no technical
reasons why companies should not
be able to complete a customer's
request to switch within
two-and-a-half hours. The agency
noted, however, that it was not a
requirement and it would review the
timeframe if numerous consumer
complaints were received.

All wireless carriers like Verizon
Wireless and AT&T Wireless
(NYSE:AWE - News) must begin by
Nov. 24 to offer consumers the
ability to switch carriers without
giving up their telephone numbers,
but they have demanded the FCC
resolve some technical issues beforehand.

The five commissioners also decided that companies cannot hold customers hostage
until they pay off their final bills but may collect early termination fees as
laid out in contracts.
Additionally, carriers cannot use the lack of technical equipment nearby as an
excuse to refuse to move a subscriber. And they can establish terms and conditions
with each other for handling switches, but if the carriers don't, the request must
be done without conditions, the FCC said.

"Industry must work diligently to implement these requirements on a timely basis
and cooperate with one another to complete the porting process," FCC Commissioner
Kathleen Abernathy said in a statement.
She noted that one recent study suggested as many as 6 million wireless
subscribers could ask to switch carriers and take their numbers with them in the
first week the option is available, but then drop off dramatically.

The FCC required carriers to offer wireless number portability to safeguard
competition. Many industry players fought the requirement, arguing there was
sufficient competition already and it would cost them $1 billion.

Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. carrier and a joint venture of Verizon
Communications (NYSE:VZ - News) and Vodafone Group Plc (London:VOD.L - News),
initially opposed the requirement but flipped and has been pushing for it.

The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, which represents many big
carriers, urged the agency to address a final group of issues, such as how
companies should handle number moves from traditional home phones to wireless
phones.

"The industry is hard at work implementing these daunting upgrades," said Tom
Wheeler, President and CEO of CTIA. "But with the deadline only 49 days away, the
commission still has not answered some basic implementation questions."

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/031007/telecoms_wireless_fcc_1.html

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