Neighbor islanders
eager to switchOuter island cell phone users
can soon change providers while
keeping their phone numbers
Next Monday, neighbor island wireless phone users, along with Americans from coast to coast, can switch providers without changing their telephone numbers thanks to a Federal Communications Commission rule change.
Charish Jose, an authorized dealer for Wireless World in Maui, said the change can't come soon enough. Jose has been fielding informational requests from customers since January about how they can take advantage of the FCC mandate -- an option, that until now, was only available to Honolulu wireless phone customers.
"A lot of people have been asking about it," Jose said. "This is something customers have been wanting to do for awhile."
Honolulu wireless customers have been able to perform the switch since November, when the FCC mandated "local number portability" for the nation's top 100 urban areas.
Since last fall, several million customers nationwide have taken advantage of local number portability, according to the FCC. But the change also generated thousands of complaints about long delays in getting numbers transferred.
Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless communications provider, is now working to smooth the process of switching carriers. The company, which initially fought the rule change, has had a portability project team in place for the past two years and has also trained its 41,000 employees on the process, said James Mormad, Verizon Wireless Kahului Store Manager.
"We're working to make things as convenient as possible for our customers," Mormad said.
The company also has specialists in the switching process, who will track porting requests, troubleshoot any issues and call customers to resolve any hiccups in the process, he said.
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How to change cell phone
Wireless customers can do their part to help ensure a smooth phone number transition. Verizon officials offer these tips:
companies easily1. Check online, call or visit the new wireless service provider to see if your number is eligible.
2. Review your existing wireless contract for early termination fees and other requirements.
3. Don't cancel your existing wireless service. Only active numbers can be transferred.
4. Write down all information stored in your phone, in case the data won't transfer.
