What is Local Number Portability?

Local Number Portability (LNP) enables a telephone customer to change carriers within a given location and keep the same phone number. The PUC has been a strong advocate of requiring wireline as well as wireless carriers to allow customers to “port” or take their phone numbers with them when they switch from one carrier to another, viewing LNP as a critical element in fostering competition in telecommunications markets for the benefit of telephone customers.

As of November 21, 2003, under the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) wireless LNP rules, wireless carriers in the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA - geographic designations of population centers compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1999) must implement LNP.

Wireless carriers operating outside the top 100 MSAs that receive a request to port a number must be capable of doing so within six months after receiving the request or by May 24, 2004, whichever is later.

To take advantage of LNP, consumers should contact their prospective new carrier, which will make the porting request of the old carrier. Consumers should not terminate their current service with their existing carrier before initiating service with a prospective new carrier.

For more information on LNP, please visit the FCC's website.

If you encounter a problem with your carrier when trying to switch providers, please contact the PUC's Consumer Affairs Branch at 1-800-649-7570, or fill out an online complaint form.