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Sprint Announces Readiness for Wireless Number Portability; Makes It Easy to Transfer Current Number to a PCS Phone

Posted on: Thursday, 20 November 2003, 06:00 CST

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint today announced plans to make it easy for consumers to transfer their current phone number to a PCS Phone and get wireless service they can count on.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )

This Monday, Nov. 24, a new federal rule takes effect that lets consumers switch telecommunications carriers without changing phone numbers. The rule allows for transferring a phone number from one wireless carrier to another, or for switching a wireline (home) phone number to wireless within the same local calling area. Sprint today confirmed that its retail store personnel, Customer Solutions specialists and systems are fully prepared to support the switching process.

"Sprint's goal is to make switching as simple and as efficient as possible," said Len Lauer, president and chief operating officer for Sprint. "And for those people shopping for better wireless service, they should take a good look at Sprint. They will find clear calls at a superior value. And our wireless services work the same wherever customers go on the Sprint network, the most complete, all-digital network in the nation."

It's simple and convenient to transfer a number to Sprint:

-- Call a Sprint operator, visit http://www.sprintpcs.com/ or come in to a

Sprint Store and get the process started. When visiting a store,

it's helpful for consumers to bring a copy of an invoice from their

current service provider.

-- Select a PCS Phone as a next step. Sprint offers the industry's

widest selection of phones and devices. A new phone will generally

be required in porting services because mobile phones from one

carrier do not typically operate on competitors' networks.

-- Next, choose a calling plan. For example, Sprint's newest plan

gives customers the opportunity to use their minutes when they want

to use them with unlimited night and weekend minutes beginning at 7

p.m. instead of 9 p.m. Also, Sprint's new PCS Add-A-Phone(SM) plan

allows customers to add up to four additional lines to their account

free for the first three months. After three months, customers pay

$20 a month for each line added.

-- Once a phone and calling plan are selected, Sprint takes care of the

transfer process from there. If the transfer is not going to be

completed by the anticipated time, Sprint will contact customers at

the number they provide to give an update.

Recycle that old phone

Once wireless customers' number transfer is complete, they also have the opportunity to contribute to a good cause, called "Sprint Project Connect."

By the end of this year, more than 100 million mobile phones will be "retired" -- either thrown away or set aside for new ones. Thanks to Sprint Project Connect, consumers can bring their old mobile phone to any participating Sprint Store and their used device will be recycled along with thousands of other phones nationwide. In the last 18 months, Sprint Project Connect has collected more than 225,000 phones and has generated nearly $750,000 for Easter Seals, the National Organization on Disability, and for the Wireless Foundation.

A final word on switching

In transferring a telephone number to Sprint, here are some additional points to consider:

-- Consumers are advised not to terminate service with the carrier they

are leaving -- this could result in losing their current phone

number.

-- Sprint's goal is to complete a customer's wireless transfer within a

matter of hours. For customers who move their home phone number to

a Sprint wireless phone, the process will take longer: a few days.

To check on the progress of their transfer, Sprint customers can go

to http://www.sprintpcs.com/ or call *2 from their Sprint phone.

-- During the transfer process, Sprint customers will have phone

service with their former service provider. For a short period of

time, customers new to Sprint may receive calls on both phones.

-- Also during the transfer process, Sprint customers will have the

opportunity to switch their complete address book information (e.g.,

contact names and numbers) to their new PCS Phone, free of charge.

This phone book transfer, offered at Sprint Stores, will work with

most carriers' newer handsets.

-- Not all numbers will be transferable in all markets and by all

providers. Initially, number portability will only work in larger

markets around the country.

-- Consumers can check if their number is transferable via

http://www.sprintpcs.com/ , from Sprint Stores, participating retailers and

by calling Sprint at 1-888-211-4PCS (4727) beginning Monday.

-- Millions of customers are expected to transfer their phone numbers

in the first few days that wireless number portability becomes

available and the systems that process these transfers are new. As

a result, consumers may initially encounter delays in the phone

transfer process.

-- For more tips on making number porting easy, contact

http://www.sprint.com/consumerinfo , the FCC web site at

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/NumberPortability/ or the Cellular

Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) at

http://www.easyporting.com/ .

About Sprint

Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/ .