November 24, 2003

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) announced that beginning today Michigan phone customers in the Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland areas (located within what U.S. Census officials call Metropolitan Statistical Areas) will be able to switch wireless carriers within the same geographic area and keep their existing phone number, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which oversees wireless phones.    

In addition, phone customers in the areas listed above can also switch from a wireline carrier to a wireless carrier or from a wireless carrier to a wireline carrier while keeping the same telephone number.

Phone customers in other areas of Michigan will have this option available to them by May 24, 2004.

“This is great news for Michigan phone customers, giving them more opportunities to take advantage of lower prices and better service,” said MPSC Chair J. Peter Lark.  “Your phone number belongs to you, and you can now keep the same number when switching to another carrier.”

To start the process, Lark noted that phone customers should not terminate service with their existing carrier before initiating service with the new prospective carrier.  Customers are also obligated to pay any early termination fees under the existing contract and any outstanding balance owed to the old carrier.  Carriers are allowed to charge a fee to recover their “porting” costs.  Porting is the technical process of switching a customer to a new carrier.

Old carriers may not refuse to port a telephone number – even in cases in which customers owe money for an outstanding balance or termination fee.

Customers should also be aware the 9-1-1 operators taking calls from wireless phones may not be able to automatically receive the phone number or location of the caller.   Customers should ask the new carrier how the porting process will affect a call to 9-1-1 service.

Wireless-to-wireless transfers should work within a few hours of the customer’s request to switch.  Wireline-to-wireless transfers may take several business days.

Additional information on number portability is available at www.fcc.gov.

Customers may file complaints about wireline telephone companies with the MPSC by calling toll-free:  1-800-292-9555.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Consumer and Industry Services.

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