U.S. allows phone-number transfers

WASHINGTON — The days of having more than one phone number may be, well, numbered for many people.

Federal regulators approved rules Monday making it easier for consumers to go totally wireless by allowing them to transfer their home number to their cell phone.

For those who favor traditional phones, the Federal Communications Commission also plans to allow people to transfer their cell number to their home phone, though initially only a few will have this option.

These rules, which come on top of plans to allow people to keep their cell number when they change wireless companies, are aimed at boosting competition in the telecommunications industry.

All the changes take effect Nov. 24 for customers in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. They will apply to everyone beginning March 24.

Consumer advocates predict the changes will lead to lower prices, better service and more options for phone customers, many of whom have been reluctant to switch service because it required changing phone numbers they had given to relatives, friends and business associates.

It also is likely to spur more people to ditch the traditional land-line phone and go wireless.

"After today, it's easier than ever to cut the cord," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said. "By firmly endorsing a customer's right to untether themselves from the wireline network — and take their telephone number with them — we act to eliminate impediments to competition between wireless and wireline services."

Chris Murray, legislative counsel for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine, said the changes should spur competition in the local telephone market, which remains largely the domain of "Baby Bell" firms like Verizon and Qwest.

"Wireless is the only near-term hope for real consumer choice," he said.

Phone industry officials complained the new rules make it easy for cell companies to take away their customers but difficult for them to go after wireless users.

The reason has to do with the different local service areas for wireless and land-line companies. Under the FCC regulations, a phone customer can unplug a corded phone and transfer the number to a cell phone if the wireless company serves the same area. But a customer wishing to transfer a number from a cell phone to a land-line can only do that if the exchange — the three digits following the area code — falls within the same geographic area, known as a "rate center," in which the house or business is located.