Consumers: for whom the bells toll: callers using a wireline phone may be in for a surprise when they call long distance to their next-door neighbor's wireless phone.

Wireless Week, October, 2003 by Rockwell, Mark

WASHINGTON -- Although the wireless local number portability issue is often couched in dry regulatory language in filings by carriers and the FCC, consumers might have some disquieting bottom-line surprises on their phone bills once LNP goes into effect, analysts say. Even some FCC officials are concerned that when LNP arrives, a couple twists in billing and service provisioning might not be readily apparent to the consumer.

For instance, if a wireless customer were to move from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, change his wireless carrier and take his number with him, that number still would will be tagged to the old D.C.-area carrier's network--meaning if the customer's neighbors in Baltimore dialed that number to reach him next door, they'd be dialing...

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