Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Wirless World: Keeping phone numbers
United Press International ^ | February 26, 2005 | Gene Koprowski

Posted on 02/25/2005 8:29:15 PM PST by kerrywearsbotox

CHICAGO -- Tired of the terrible customer service at your wireless carrier, but concerned if you switch everyone who knows your mobile number will be unable to reach you? Not to worry. Mobile phone numbers are now portable -- meaning you can take them with you from one carrier to another, as if they were personal property.

The rule allowing consumers to do this was authorized by the Federal Communications Commission just over a year ago, though experts told UPI's Wireless World that customers largely are just beginning to learn of it.

"In general, things are going pretty well," said Doug Brueckner, senior vice president of wireless at Convergys, a developer of wireless billing software in Cincinnati. "There have been a number of people taking advantage of it -- a pretty substantial number. What is driving it is that consumers want to have a choice." By Gene Koprowski


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News
KEYWORDS: mobilephones; wireless; wirless
a story about mobile phone numbers portability.
1 posted on 02/25/2005 8:29:16 PM PST by kerrywearsbotox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: kerrywearsbotox
Tired of the terrible customer service at your wireless carrier, but concerned if you switch everyone who knows your mobile number will be unable to reach you?

Actually, the idea of people who know my number being unable to reach me is a not unattractive notion.

2 posted on 02/25/2005 8:36:03 PM PST by southernnorthcarolina (<b><font color=e58d0e>Did you know that HTML codes don't work on tag lines?</font></b>)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kerrywearsbotox

I'm tired of paying taxes to support the Mexican-American war(true tax, and everyone in the US pays it), and other assorted taxes on my land lines. The problem is that I've had the same numbers for 20 years, and don't want to change. Can I switch those numbers over a mobile phone?


3 posted on 02/25/2005 8:39:42 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with really stupid enemies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Balding_Eagle

If you have Verizon for landline phone service, yes - they're the only ones I'm aware of that will convert your landline number to a wireless one. Otherwise, you're outta luck.


4 posted on 02/25/2005 8:41:37 PM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: kerrywearsbotox
Tired of the terrible customer service at your wireless carrier, but concerned if you switch everyone who knows your mobile number will be unable to reach you?

No, what really concerns me is that all 5 of the cellphone providers I have had have sucked equally, when push came to shove.

This definitely ain't the America I grew up in, and I do not believe business can prosper when customer abuse is pandemic. I think if people don't relearn the Golden Rule, and employ it, the economy will shrivel. And I for one don't want to see that happen.

5 posted on 02/25/2005 8:42:52 PM PST by the invisib1e hand ("remember, from ashes you came, to ashes you will return.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Balding_Eagle
Can I switch those numbers over a mobile phone?

Yep. But you'll the taxes on the cells are probably as bad as on a landline.

A $30.00 monthly rate on your cell phone could end up being $35.00 to $40.00 after taxes, depending on where you live.

6 posted on 02/25/2005 8:43:12 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
I just checked, we pay $10.42 monthly per land line for taxes fees and surcharges. $125 per year per line. I imagine most everyone does.

I was just thinking about the tax we all pay to support the Mexican-AMerican War...........we really need to start using it don't we?

7 posted on 02/25/2005 8:52:14 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with really stupid enemies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: kerrywearsbotox

This week I moved my mobile number to a new service. It took about ten minutes and couldn't possibly have been easier. I paid the penalty for cancelling the old service early, but it was worth every penny.


8 posted on 02/25/2005 9:56:30 PM PST by Moonmad27
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr

Venizon: "Can you deer meat now?"


9 posted on 02/25/2005 9:58:29 PM PST by Charles Henrickson (A good pun is its own reword.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Balding_Eagle
Spanish-American War tax was made permanent in 1990, after 31 years of "phase outs" and was set at 3%.

Congress proposes tax on all Net, data connections Published: January 28, 2005

"An influential congressional committee has dropped a political bombshell by suggesting that a tax originally created to pay for the Spanish American War could be extended to all Internet and data connections this year."

c/net

10 posted on 02/25/2005 11:42:09 PM PST by endthematrix (Declare 2005 as the year the battle for freedom from tax slavery!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: endthematrix
"An influential congressional committee has dropped a political bombshell by suggesting that a tax originally created to pay for the Spanish American War could be extended ..."

Haven't we paid for that war already?

11 posted on 02/25/2005 11:47:26 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: FreedomCalls

A better question is what the heck did America get from it?


12 posted on 02/25/2005 11:51:53 PM PST by endthematrix (Declare 2005 as the year the battle for freedom from tax slavery!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: endthematrix

You're right, it's the Spanish-American War, not the Mexican-American. My mistake.


13 posted on 02/26/2005 6:36:09 AM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with really stupid enemies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson