Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh
Releases FAQ on What Ratepayers Need to Know
About Local Number Portability

Newark, NJ – Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh today released Frequently Asked Questions about Local Number Portability for those ratepayers who want to keep their cell phone number when they switch wireless carriers.

The FAQ was issued by the Division of the Ratepayer Advocate, an independent state agency that represents the interests of all ratepayers including subscribers, as the nation’s wireless carriers implemented the national roll out of local number portability (LNP).

LNP was first implemented for wireless customers on November 24, 2003, in the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas as ordered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Since 1997, telephone subscribers have had the right to port their wireline – or landline – telephone number when switching providers locally.

Today, Monday, May 24, 2004, wireless carriers are required to implement number portability nationally in the remaining MSAs for wireless telephone subscribers.

Most of New Jersey was included in the November 24, 2003, rollout, except for Mercer, Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland. As of May 24, 2004, residents of these 4 counties will have the ability to port their number.

“Whether they have switched cell phone carriers or not, customers have already started reaping the benefits because the wireless companies are lowering their prices and offering better packages as a marketing inducement to keep customers from switching,” said Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh. “That’s the benefit of freedom of choice and competition.”

Ms. Singh said that consumers still need to take precautions when switching wireless carriers. “We are issuing a checklist for consumers as part of our Q&A,” Ms. Singh said. “It is recommended that consumers in the four New Jersey counties where they can port their numbers for the first time, as well as for those consumers in the state’s 17 other counties, follow our precautions.”

National Roll Out of Local Number Portability: What Consumers Need To Know: Frequently Asked Questions.

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The Division of the Ratepayer Advocate is an independent state agency that represents the interests of utility consumers and serves as an active participant in every case where New Jersey utilities seek changes in their rates or services. The Ratepayer Advocate also gives consumers a voice in setting long-range energy, water, and telecommunications policy that will affect the delivery of utility services well into the future.

Additional information on this and other matters can be found at the Division of Ratepayer Advocate’s website at http://www.rpa.state.nj.us

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