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According to everything I've read so far (like, for instance, the webpage the FCC maintains on this subject) there is no reason, per the Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Local Number Portability (LNP), that I cannot transfer my 10-digit cell number from my existing local prepaid plan (former AT&T Wireless Free-2-Go) to another local prepaid (whatever Cingular calls their's; they bought out AT&T Wireless a year ago). The only exceptions the FCC mentions is 1) the porting be done in the "same general metropolitan area" (I'm porting from Reno, Nevada and I'm porting to ... Reno, Nevada ... gee, I seem to be in the "same general metropolitan area") and 2) companies meeting the May 24th deadline to comply ... 2 years ago I believe. Some were granted an extension (per the FCC, no companies applied for one in the state of Nevada) of the deadline. No other exceptions were mentioned. I was told today at a Cingular kiosk at the local mall that if I wanted to switch plans I would have to get a new phone (duh, you stupid little bimbo, that's what I told you I wanted to do 
) and I would lose my cellphone number.
Erm, you want to tell the FCC that?
Out of annoyance, I checked some online wireless sites. Cingular's section on LNP wouldn't tell me if my number was portable or not; just said they couldn't do it online > I have to go to a Cingular store. Verizon was more helpful. They had a little field where you enter you 10-digit number and it checks if they can port it. They can. Cricket's website had no mention of LNP I could find. Virgin Mobile also proved somewhat unhelpful, though their map shows coverage of my area so it should port.
Do any of you, my fellow USians, have a clearer understanding of LNP? Is she right or full of ****? All I want to do is A) keep my 10-digit cell number, B) get a new cellphone (currently I have the Nokia 5165 that came in the AT&T Wireless Free-2-Go prepaid package ... yeah, I want a newer cellphone), and C) continue using whatever prepaid plan, as long as it is a PREPAID plan, not a pay-as-you-go (though, I may waiver on this) or an actual monthly billing agreement (not a chance). And seeing as Cingular bought out AT&T Wireless, I fail to see why they'd have any *cough* hang-ups *cough* about this. Is it just that, because I'm a former AT&T Wireless customer, they don't want to keep me as a customer and would rather I transfer my wireless number to some other company, like say Verizon Wireless who seem to think my number will transfer to their service just fine?
) and I would lose my cellphone number.Erm, you want to tell the FCC that?
Out of annoyance, I checked some online wireless sites. Cingular's section on LNP wouldn't tell me if my number was portable or not; just said they couldn't do it online > I have to go to a Cingular store. Verizon was more helpful. They had a little field where you enter you 10-digit number and it checks if they can port it. They can. Cricket's website had no mention of LNP I could find. Virgin Mobile also proved somewhat unhelpful, though their map shows coverage of my area so it should port.
Do any of you, my fellow USians, have a clearer understanding of LNP? Is she right or full of ****? All I want to do is A) keep my 10-digit cell number, B) get a new cellphone (currently I have the Nokia 5165 that came in the AT&T Wireless Free-2-Go prepaid package ... yeah, I want a newer cellphone), and C) continue using whatever prepaid plan, as long as it is a PREPAID plan, not a pay-as-you-go (though, I may waiver on this) or an actual monthly billing agreement (not a chance). And seeing as Cingular bought out AT&T Wireless, I fail to see why they'd have any *cough* hang-ups *cough* about this. Is it just that, because I'm a former AT&T Wireless customer, they don't want to keep me as a customer and would rather I transfer my wireless number to some other company, like say Verizon Wireless who seem to think my number will transfer to their service just fine?
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