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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACTS: 
 May  21,  2004  David  Fiske,  (202)  418-  0513  Richard  Diamond,  (202)  418-  0506 
 FCC  Chairman  Powell:  Another  70  Million  Americans  to  Have  Freedom  to  Switch  Wireless  Carriers  and  Keep  Their  Phone  Number  on  Monday 
 Washington,  D.  C.—  Beginning  Monday,  May  24,  the  ability  of  consumers  to  change  their  wireless  telephone  provider  and  keep  their  number  expands  to  cover  the  entire  country  as  Federal 
 Communications  Commission  number  portability  rules  take  effect  in  smaller  markets,  covering  an  additional  70  million  Americans. 


 “Now  all  Americans  can  enjoy  the  benefits  of  competition,”  said  FCC  Chairman  Michael  Powell.  “These  changes  will  bring  lower  prices,  more  innovation  and  better  service  to  everyone. 
 Wireless  carriers  will  now,  more  than  ever,  deliver  for  rural  America.” 
 Last  November,  the  FCC  required  wireless  carriers  in  only  the  100  largest  cities  to  start  allowing  customers  to  switch  and  keep  their  numbers.  Over  3.5  million  numbers  have  been 
 switched.  Most  of  these—  approximately  3.34  million—  involved  wireless  customers  switching  from  one  wireless  carrier  to  another.  Approximately  229,000  involved  landline  customers  taking 
 their  landline  number  to  a  wireless  carrier.  Just  over  7,000  people  transferred  a  wireless  number  to  a  landline  phone. 


 “Your  phone  number  belongs  to  you,  and  you  can  take  it  with  you—  no  matter  where  you  live,”  said  Powell. 
 Additional  information  is  available  at  www.  fcc.  gov/  cgb/  NumberPortability/ 
 -FCC- 
 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found  on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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