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Thanksgiving Comes Early to Cell-Phone Customers with
Promise
of Better Deals and Greater Choice
As Nov. 24 Deadline Approaches for Number Portability, Consumers
Union
Recommends Customers Have Patience During Transition
November 24th marks a critical consumer victory for cell-phone customers
who should now expect more for less,” says Jim Guest, president of
Consumers Union. “But anyone immediately changing cellular companies
or cutting the cord should anticipate that their switch may take a
little longer, as the industry copes with the volume of customers
trying to move carriers.”
Consumers Union offers the following tips to make the switching process
as easy and economical as possible. Ratings of the major cellular
carriers in six metropolitan areas are also available free from www.consumerreports.org.
Put a new date on your calendar. Nov. 24 may mark the beginning of
what could be a new and happy cellular life, but consumers can minimize
switching costs by checking the end-date on their contract. By waiting
until their contract is over, they can avoid hefty early termination
fees that can run $150 and up.
Don’t ditch before you switch. If you want to switch cellular companies
or cut the cord and move your home phone number to your cell phone,
do not cancel service with your existing telephone company. Your only
call is to your new provider, who will take care of initiating the
service change. Also ask your new carrier about covering the nominal
fee your old carrier might charge for taking your phone number with
you, and if they are offering any early-termination fee buyouts.
Know the 411 on 911 cellular emergency calling. If you are considering
getting rid of your home phone in favor of cellular-only, keep in
mind that if you dial 911 from your home phone, the emergency operators
can immediately pinpoint your location. If you dial 911 from your
cell phone at home or on the road, most emergency operators cannot
readily locate you, and unfortunately, there is no guarantee that
your call will get through.
Remember, you get to keep your phone number, not your phone. Whenever
you switch carriers, you usually have to get a new phone because the
carriers do not all use compatible technologies. Be sure to factor
in the cost of buying a new phone and ask about any available phone
deals.
For
more information on this subject, or to choose from a variety of related
products and services, choose from the following:
all cell phones.com