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 SEPARATE  STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  KATHLEEN  Q.  ABERNATHY 
 Re:  Telephone  Number  Portability  –  Carrier  Requests  for  Clarification  on  Wireless-  Wireless  Porting  Issue,  CC  Docket  No.  95-  116  (adopted  October  3,  2003) 
 This  Order  is  an  important  step  in  providing  additional  necessary  guidance  to  wireless  carriers  concerning  the  implementation  of  wireless-  to-  wireless  local  number  portability  (LNP). 
 There  is  no  doubt  that  as  wireless  LNP  is  implemented,  customers  will  benefit  from  the  ability  to  port  their  numbers  to  whatever  wireless  or  wireline  service  provider  they  choose. 


 Nonetheless,  despite  the  best  efforts  of  the  Commission  and  the  industry  to  ensure  that  wireless  LNP  is  fully  implemented,  there  is  a  potential  for  operational  problems  to  arise,  as  can 
 happen  with  the  rollout  of  any  new  technology.  For  example,  at  least  one  study  has  estimated  that  as  many  as  six  million  customers  may  to  seek  to  port  numbers  the  first  week  our  new  rules 
 take  effect  (with  volumes  dropping  dramatically  after  the  first  week).  As  the  porting  framework  is  tested,  it  is  possible  that  some  customers  may  experience  delays  in  the  porting  between  carriers 
 and  other  potential  problems  may  arise. 
 Accordingly,  it  is  critical  for  the  Commission  and  industry  to  continue  to  work  collaboratively  to  ensure  that  wireless  LNP  is  fully  available  to  the  American  public  and  to 
 educate  consumers  about  the  process.  Industry  must  work  diligently  to  implement  these  requirements  on  a  timely  basis  and  cooperate  with  one  another  to  complete  the  porting  process. 
 Perhaps  most  importantly,  industry  and  the  FCC  need  to  ensure  that  customers  understand  their  rights. 
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