Dropped calls. Dead zones. But if you change carriers you have to change your phone number.

On November 24, after years of industry delay, cell phone carriers will be required to let you take your phone number with you when you switch carriers. A big deal, because consumers will likely see lower prices and better service as companies try harder to attract - or keep - business.

Of course, cell phone carriers are still trying to stop number portability with lobbyists.

Escape cell hell is a simple thing - you can use the provided form letter to tell Congress that you want to take your number with you if you switch carriers.

Email forms aren't going to do a bit of good.

Send it snail mail or fax it to your Rep/Senator.

It appears you can opt to have it sent via mail. I may be misreading the form on the right hand side.

That's what it looks like, though when I chose that option, the resulting screen said "your e-mail has been sent to ..."

I don't understand the cell phone number retention thing.

I live in Portland, we have a 503 area code. In Oregon are also 541 and 971.

If I get a phone out of Spring in Portland and get a 503 number, then later move to Ontario (god forbid) which is in 541, I keep 503?

Or if I move out of Oregon to...Stockton California...do I keep the 503 even though I'm in a 209 area code?

Sprint. Not spring. I'm a dufus.

To answer the question, yeah, if you stayed on Sprint, you'd keep the number. (Which you may not want to, if you moved to a different area code that would make the old number long distance).

What this is for is getting to keep the cell number if you switch from Sprint to, say, Verizon, or AT&T, then to T-Mobile, or whatever.

Right now, if you change service providers, you have to get a new number, which means fewer people change plans because they don't want to have to go through the pain of getting their new number out to people who need it. The cell companies like that people don't want to switch (no matter the reason), and users generally think it sucks.

Wow, it would be great to leave my current carrier yet still be able to have my 434-XKOT number. I just can't give it up.