Switching phones, but not numbers

Tomorrow, you'll finally be able to keep your familiar phone number when switching wireless carriers.
This new right, known as "number portability," should bring a sea change to the wireless marketplace, by giving consumers more leverage to demand better service and prices.
Right now, portability is mostly a source of confusion. Here are answers to some often-asked questions.
Who's affected
On Monday, number portability goes into effect for customers in the 100 largest markets, from New York down to Columbia, S.C. The Youngstown-Warren market is No. 88.
That means I can switch right away?
Yes, if you're in one of the largest markets, but with one big warning: Changing carriers carelessly could cost you a hefty price.
That's because two-thirds of wireless customers are currently under contracts that commit them to early-cancellation fees of $150 to $200 -- and if you're on a family plan, remember that charge is assessed per phone. If you're under contract, you may want to wait to shop for a better deal.
I'm ready to switch. What do I do?
How to do it
The mechanics are important, because if you do this wrong, you could lose the number you set out to keep.
The key: "Don't cancel your current service.
To make number portability work, one company -- your new carrier -- has to take responsibility for the transaction, which is complex from both a business and technological standpoint. Your old service will be canceled in the process.
I'd recommend doing this at a retail store, not by phone or over the Internet. Here are the basic steps:
Tell the new carrier that you want to sign up for new service but keep your old number. The carriers call this "porting" a number.
Complete the transaction, which most likely will require obtaining a new phone.
For a brief period -- a few hours or as much as a day -- you'll have service from two companies. During this transition period, your new phone may work, but only for outgoing calls. Your old phone will continue to work as usual.
When the "port" is complete, you'll be notified on the new phone, probably by a text message. At that point, your new phone will be the only one that works, and your old service will be canceled.
Call the old carrier to confirm the cancellation, just to be sure.
Cost
How much does this cost?
None of the largest carriers has imposed a fee for porting a number -- yet. There are no rules against it. But if a fee is charged, your new carrier might be willing to foot the bill.
Monthly fees blamed on portability and other government rules are another matter. Carriers have collected more than $600 million in such fees since the beginning of last year, according to one recent study by the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity.
Factor in these charges when you shop for new service. AT & amp;T Wireless is at the high end, with a $1.75-per-month "regulatory program fee." Sprint charges $1.10. On the other hand, T-Mobile doesn't charge any such fee, and Verizon's is just 5 cents -- and isn't blamed on portability.
Changing phones
Can I keep my current phone?
Ask your new carrier -- a few models may be convertible between companies that use similar technology, such as Verizon and Sprint. But in most cases, you'll need a new phone.
Can I switch my home number to a wireless carrier?
Yes. If you've been considering "cutting the cord," this could be the time to try it, because you can do it without giving up that old, familiar phone number.
Even better, portability makes the experiment reversible. If wireless service alone doesn't cut it where you live, you can take your number and resume your old landline service.
But with any switch, remember that most wireless carriers give you only a brief trial period, perhaps 15 or 30 days, to consider whether service is adequate. After that, you're likely to be stuck in a one- or two-year contract.
I already have wireless service. Can I keep the wireless service but switch my home number to my cell phone?
Yes. But remember: If you do that, you'll only have wireless service. You can't make a wireless and landline phone work on a single number, just as you can't have two wireless phones work on a single number.
Eventually, wireless carriers may offer docking stations that allow you to make and receive wireless calls from a network of hard-wired extension phones.
At least one small carrier, Leap Wireless, has been experimenting with technology that would allow a wireless family to all get on extension phones and join in a Mother's Day call to grandma.
Limits
I just moved from one city to another and still use my old wireless account. Can I switch that number to a carrier in the new location?
No. And that's not the only limit to portability.
For example, landline-to-wireless portability will work if the wireless carrier serves the area where you live. But wireless-to-landline portability is trickier. There's no question it will work if you're just switching back after a failed experiment.
If in doubt, check with the new carrier you're considering.
What other kinds of hassles could I face?
The biggest one is getting charged that early-termination fee, so remember to check with your old carrier about your contract obligations.
Tips
Others involve paperwork or technological hang-ups. A few tips:
Bring your most recent bill to the new carrier's store. If you apply with any incorrect information, the switch could be significantly delayed.
Simple wireless-to-wireless ports should be done in hours. But landline-wireless switches will take longer, probably several days.
Only authorized account-holders can make a switch, and the new account has to be in the same name as the old one.
If you're not in a big hurry, avoid switching during the first few days or weeks, when bugs or glitches in the system could appear.
At the very least, you may want to try to avoid switching on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which is traditionally a huge day for wireless stores.
Studies say that millions of people are eager to switch, and that as many as 9 million may try to do so right away. That's a mighty long line to get into at the mall.
XJeff Gelles is a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Write to him at: The Philadelphia Inquirer, P.O. Box 8263, Philadelphia, PA 19101, or e-mail consumerwatch@phillynews.com.