Claim Your Cell Phone Number!. Fight for Your Cell Phone Rights NOW
“One of the things users hate most about cellular service is that the telephone number belongs to the carrier, not to the customer. This means that changing carriers also means changing your phone number.
That's supposed to change on Nov. 24, when new rules requiring number portability are supposed to go into effect. I say “supposed to” because many carriers are dragging their corporate feet and lobbying to get the rule changed, even as they collect hundreds of millions of dollars in “portability fees” from customers.
The Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, is among the groups working to keep number portability on-track. The group says number portability will increase competition, resulting in lower cellular bills and greater convenience for consumers.
CU has set up a special Web site, EscapeCellHell.org, where you can learn about what you can do. Yesterday, the group sent out an action alert asking consumers to (once again, for some of us) write Congress to keep the heat on as the cellular industry throws its considerable lobbying weight into fighting the rule. You can write your Congressperson (for free) and learn more about this important issue by visiting the site.” [ZDNet AnchorDesk]