Archives: Phones & Cell Phones

On March 11, 2005 the federal court upheld the FCC decision to allow consumers to keep their number when switching phone companies.  However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that small telephone companies are not yet required to make the switch when a consumer wants to switch their number from landline to wireless. 

"One consumer group said the decision might affect companies that serve as much as 10 percent of the U.S. population, or more than 29 million people.

"'We hope the FCC will go back and fill in the record and help consumers in small, rural markets have the flexibility to take their numbers to the provider of their choice,' said Gene Kimmelman, senior policy director at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine."

The article goes on to say, "according to the FCC, roughly 10 million cell customers have transferred their numbers to new providers since the rules went into effect in November 2003. Another 800,000 have switched their landline numbers to cell phones, and about 9,000 have done the reverse."

– Associated Press (March 11, 2005)

Competition in the phone services marketplace depends on the ability for a consumer to switch providers to achieve the best services and prices.  Another barrier to competition was broken down when consumers were given the ability to keep their phone number when switching providers.  Read more about other barriers still in place, for example, cell phone portability, keeping your phone when switching providers.