Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Top Ten Tips for Porting

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 01:23:19 -0500

Top Ten Tips for Porting

Verizon Wireless Offers Advice to Consumers on What to Do and What to Expect
When Requesting to Switch Carriers and Keep Their Numbers

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, operator of the
nation's largest and most reliable wireless network in the U.S., today issued
tips for consumers that will help them prepare to move their wireless or
landline number to a new wireless provider after Local Number Portability
(LNP) becomes available on November 24th.
"Industry analysts have estimated anywhere between 20 and 40 percent of
wireless customers are ready to change carriers, and have been waiting for the
day they can do that without having to change the phone number their friends
and clients have been using to reach them," said John Harrobin, vice
president-Marketing for Verizon Wireless' 12-state West Area.  "Verizon
Wireless has been doing extensive work to prepare for LNP.  Our $60 million
investment includes developing systems to automate the process to the extent
possible, implementing network and billing enhancements, training thousands of
employees on various processes and building a national facility staffed with
more than 900 employees to help resolve porting issues with customers and
their other carriers.  But there are some things consumers can do, and should
know, that will help them move their number as easily as possible."

Harrobin offered the following:
-- Portability:  Not all numbers are portable; it primarily depends on
geography and where the number was originally connected.  A Verizon
Wireless representative can automatically tell you whether a non-
Verizon Wireless phone number is portable to Verizon Wireless,
according to Federal Communications Commission guidelines.
-- Process Time: Porting a phone number involves two carriers.  Although
Verizon Wireless is only able to control half of the porting process,
we're committed to working with other carriers to port numbers within
24-hours.  As carriers get used to this new, complex national process,
we expect to complete a majority of wireless-to-wireless single "port"
requests within three hours.  Wireline-to-wireless ports, may take up
to four days, or possibly longer, based on complexity of the port and
the wireline carrier.
-- Equipment:  Many customers will need a new wireless phone, since
different wireless companies use different technologies.
-- "Live" Number Required: Don't cancel service before switching.  A
number must be active to switch; in other words, customers wanting to
switch carriers must keep their service active with their old provider
until the port is complete.
-- Bringing A Recent Bill Will Help:  Customers should bring their most
recent bill from their old carrier with them, and know any account-
related passwords, to speed the porting process.
-- Expect Dual Service: Customers will need to carry their old and new
phones until the port is complete, the old phone for receiving calls,
the new phone for making calls.  In an emergency, we recommend
that you place calls to 911 from your old handset as Emergency
Services will not be able to call you back on your new handset until
the port is complete.  Also, although both old and new carriers
will bill for calls, customers will not be billed twice for the same
phone call.
-- Be Prepared To Provide "Can Be Reached" Number: Customers should be
prepared to provide a phone number where they can be reached during
the porting process to expedite the resolution of any problems.
-- Status Information: Customers "porting" their number to Verizon
Wireless will be given a number to call for status updates and will
receive a free TXT message notifying them when the process is
complete.
-- Old Features: Saved voicemail messages will not transfer to the
customer's new phone.  Verizon Wireless retail stores in the western
U.S. will be able transfer contact phone numbers from a customer's old
phone to their new phone for free.
-- Contract Terms Apply: Portability does not relieve any customer of
contract obligations.

"One final thought," said Harrobin.  "Although all carriers will be
offering holiday promotions, customers would be best served by talking to
friends about their experiences with their carriers before switching.  After
all, a phone is only as good as the network it operates on."

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless
communications.  The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and
data network and 36 million customers.  Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ,
Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and
Vodafone (NYSE: VOD; London).  Find more information on the Web at
http://www.verizonwireless.com .

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