CELL PHONE NUMBER PORTABILITY

Many folks are unaware that, as of November 24th, a new federal law goes into effect which allows for a person to keep the same cell phone number when the service provider is changed. At present, people must stay with one provider to keep a particular number and, even in cases where the customer is sorely dissatisfied with their service, they are reluctant to change to a different company. Changing the cell phone number causes such great inconvenience and disruption to personal and business relationships that keeping the same poor service provider is a less painful alternative.

With the change in the law, however, people will be able to dump their poor provider and keep their number with a new provider. Unfortunately, the public is largely uninformed about the coming change and service providers are making the most of the lack of knowledge.

Wireless carriers are hoping that they can take advantage of that absence of awareness to make an 11th-hour hard sell. "They are trying to sign people up for multiyear contracts," said Patrick J. Comack, a telecommunications industry analyst with Guzman & Company, an investment banking firm. "They've significantly upped the incentives, and it's going to get crazy going forward."

By signing customers to longer contracts now, the companies will be able to keep more of them after portability takes effect � or at least force customers to pay termination fees if they do jump services before their contracts expire.

It is recommended that consumers avoid signing any new or extending any existing service contracts until the new law becomes effective on November 24th.

Thanks to James at Outside the Beltway for pointing me to the story.