So, while the cell phone companies have been griping about number portability (the FCC is requiring cell phone providers to allow users to keep their old cell numbers if they switch providers, i.e. if I dropped my Cingular service and went to Verizon), it appears that they just passed this new legislation that allows people to take their home or business numbers to cell companies. While this isn't going to happen immediately (Nov. 24 for the 100 biggest markets, May 24 for smaller markets).
The landline companies though do have a fair argument. The bill says number portability has to go both ways, but right now, it's technically impossible for someone to take a cell number and have it transferred to a local telco. As I read the article, this is mainly because if one switches the number to a landline, the billing area wouldn't be the same as it would be for the cell phone with that number, since cell phones generally have larger local calling areas than landlines . . .
Interesting post on slashdot that mentions this could be bad for 911 calls . . .
