10
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
COLUMBIA
UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF
INTERNATIONAL
AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
International Finance
and Business
With a dynamic faculty,
curriculum, and resources
unsurpassed in diversity and
scope, SI PA trains tomorrow’s
leaders to meet the challenges
of the 21st century.
Human Rights
• Media
Environmental Policy
Regional Studies
City Management and
Urban Affairs
Master of Public Administration
Master of International Affairs
Master of Public Administration in
Environmental Science and Policy
Executive Master of Public Administration
Program in Economic Policy Management
Public Analysis and
Applied Economics
Many other skill-
and policy-based
concentrations
www.sipa.columbia.edu
THE BATTALIOt
Government allows transfer of phone number
By Jonathan D. Salant
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The days of having
more than one phone number may be, well,
numbered for many people.
Federal regulators approved rules
Monday making it easier for consumers to
go totally wireless by allowing them to trans
fer their home number to their cell phone.
For those who favor traditional phones,
the Federal Communications Commission
also plans to allow people to transfer their
cell number to their home phone, though ini
tially only a few will have this option.
These rules, which come on top of plans
to allow people to keep their cell number
when they change wireless companies, are
aimed at boosting competition in the
telecommunications industry.
All the changes take effect Nov. 24 for
customers in the 100 largest metropolitan
areas. They will apply to everyone begin
ning March 24.
Consumer advocates predict the changes
will lead to lower prices, better service and
more options for phone customers.
It also is likely to spur more people to ditch
the traditional landline phone and go wireless.
“After today, it’s easier than ever to cut
the cord,” FCC Chairman Michael Powell
said. “By firmly endorsing a customer's
right to untether themselves from the wire-
line network — and take their telephone
number with them — we act to eliminate
impediments to competition between wire
less and wireline services.”
Chris Murray, legislative counsel for
Consumers Union, which publishes
Consumer Reports magazine, said the
changes should spur competition in the local
telephone market, which remains largely the
domain of “Baby Bell" companies like
Verizon and Qwest.
Phone industry officials complained the
new rules make it easy for cell companies to
take away their customers, but difficult for
them to go after wireless users.
The reason has to do with the different
local service areas for wireless and landline
companies. Under the FCC regulations, a
phone customer can unplug a corded phone
and transfer the number to a cell phone if the
wireless company serves the same area. But
a customer wishing to transfer a number
from a cell phone to a landline can only do
that if the exchange — the three digits fol
lowing the area code — falls within the same
geographic area, known as a "rate center," in
which the house or business is located.
As a result, local phone companies
be able to go after only about an eight
cell phone customers, while the win
industry has no similar restrictioe
BellSouth spokesman Bill McCloskeysai:
"These new rules say our wireless«n
petitors can take our customers even fa
the technology does not allow us to often
same benefit of number portability tot
vast majority , of their customer!
McCloskey said.
Commissioners acknowledged t
inequities, but said the chance to inject w
petition into the local phone market
not be passed up.
'‘While I do not believe that theseett
cerns outweigh the very significant belief,
to American consumers... I do wanttotiig
light my keen interest in working with hi
industry and the chairman and my
commissioners on solutions to addressti
inequity," Commissioner
Adelstein said.
As many a.s 7 million consumers use
phones exclusively. Jeff Maszal, reset!
director for 7'he Management Netu
Group, an Overland Park. Kan.-basedcom
C
munications consulting firm, said another:
million consumers are likely todroplk
landlines for cell phones now thattheyci
keep their home or business phone number:
Fou
spectiv
Theate
on coll
Pati
Texas
Fritz A
Picture
James
of Dig
directo
Car
commi
FLAT-FRONT PANTS
• 100% heavyweight cotton
• Premium construction
• Sits lower on the waist
• Straight wide leg
• Classic fit
• Durable pocket bags
• Locker loop
• Cell phone pocket
Reg. $58. SALE 39.99
Regular and original prices are
offering prices only and may or may
not have resulted in sales. Advertised
merchandise may be available at
these or similar sale prices in
upcoming sales this season.
against
“Th