Traveling Numbers

Whether you move or change carriers, you face the prospect of alerting everyone from relatives to the garbage collector about your new number. It's a major inconvenience.

Churning or transplanted wireless subscribers might ask if they can save themselves the trouble by keeping their current wireless phone numbers.

Alltel

Total Hold Time: 5 seconds

Transfer/IVR Layers: 1

CSR: Thanks for calling Alltel. This is (name). How can I help you?

WR: I'm switching carriers, but I'd like to keep my phone number. Is this possible?

CSR: Oh, no. If you change companies on your cellular service, you most definitely have to change numbers.

WR: Why is it that a wireline company can do it, and you can't?

CSR: Nobody can do that with a wireless service. With wireline service, in any given area, there's always the LEC carrier, which is the incumbent local service. Then there's the CLEC, which is the competitive local carrier. They negotiate those numbers through each other, and they can use the same numbers. But wireless is totally different. Wireless has two separate switching systems. Technology won't allow it.

WR: Do you know if that will change?

CSR: I don't think you'll ever be able to do that. That's my opinion.

Nextel

Total Hold Time: 15 seconds

Transfer/IVR Layers: 1

CSR: Thank you for calling Nextel. This is (name).

WR: If I switch from another carrier's service to yours, could I keep my same number?

CSR: That's a good question. Honestly, I don't know. I'm going to put you on hold for a second. I'm going to see if I can find that answer for you.

Mystery caller holds for one minute.

CSR: Thanks for holding. As far as trying to transfer that phone number over, you won't be able to do that.

WR: Will that change in the future?

CSR: No. Nextel buys a certain group of numbers. That's what we use with our customers. I'm sure AT&T has a certain group of numbers that they use and the same with Verizon.

Western Wireless

Total Hold Time: 40 seconds

Transfer/IVR Layers: 1

CSR: Cellular One. This is (name). How can I help you?

WR: I'm wondering if I switch from another carrier to your service if I could keep my same phone number.

CSR: No. Different companies have different numbers, so there would be no way to do that.

WR: I can do it with my home phone. Why is it not possible with my wireless phone?

CSR: Because certain numbers are assigned to different carriers. Different carriers buy certain numbers from landline companies. So it's not possible that you can have the same number on a cell phone; it's a different number.

WR: Is that going to change in the future?

CSR: Not that I know of.

Qwest Wireless

Total Hold Time: 5 minutes

Transfer/IVR Layers: 1

CSR: Hello. Welcome to Qwest Wireless. You're speaking with (name).

WR: If I switch to your service from another carrier's, can I still keep my same wireless phone number?

CSR: I don't believe so. Are you with another carrier, and you just want to keep the same cell-phone number?

WR: Right.

CSR: Let me research that information.

After 2 minutes, the CSR returns.

CSR: As long as the phone that you have is a Qwest phone. Do you know what model it is?

WR: Samsung.

CSR: We don't offer the Samsung phone. So it won't be possible with that phone. If you get a new phone through us, we may be able to program that number into the new phone, as long as the carrier you are with provides you with a sub-block code.

WR: Sub-block code? What's that?

CSR: It's the code to allow you to unlock the phone. To actually program your phone, you need a sub-block code, and the companies give you that.

Portability Ahead

Wireless number portability enables subscribers to change carriers, location or type of service while keeping their existing phone numbers. The FCC has ordered wireless carriers in the top 100 metropolitan service areas to be equipped to offer this service and support nationwide roaming of the affected numbers by Nov. 24, 2002.