Wireless Industry Recognizes First Anniversary of Number Portability.

WASHINGTON -- CTIA-The Wireless Association(TM) recognizes the one-year anniversary of local number portability, which granted most consumers the ability to keep their phone numbers when choosing new service providers. LNP has made it possible for more than 170 million wireless customers to keep their numbers while changing carriers and it's opened the door for wireline customers to take their current telephone numbers and make them wireless. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in the last 12 months, more than 6 million wireless consumers have taken advantage of number portability and kept their numbers while switching wireless carriers. The FCC also reports that more than 500,000 wireline customers chose to go mobile and switched from wireline service to wireless service while keeping their old numbers.

"Local number portability introduced another aspect of the freedom of choice and the competitiveness of the wireless industry to millions of consumers across the nation," said Steve Largent, President & CEO of CTIA. "The wireless industry will continue to work for each and every customer by offering competitive, innovative services and by improving the process for all possible porting opportunities so that every consumer can experience the benefits of wireless in a timely and efficient manner."

Wireless carriers continue to work to improve the porting process and make it efficient and consumer-friendly. The FCC has asked the parties involved to find ways to improve the intermodal porting process. In comments filed with the FCC on Wednesday, November 17th, CTIA indicated it supports a reduced porting interval for wireline to wireless ports, which will benefit consumers. As stated in the filing, "As an added benefit for consumers, a shortened porting interval will help reduce the level of customer port cancellations and reduce the period of "mixed service" that might affect 911 service."

"The wireless industry supports guidelines to serve consumers who wish to experience the full benefits of intermodal number portability and continues to compete for consumers with better products, lower prices and innovative services," said Largent.

A copy of CTIA's FCC filing is available at http://files.ctia.org/pdf/filings/041117_Porting_Comments.pdf.

CTIA is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers.

www.ctia.org