Nearly 8 million wireless users kept cell numbers under new rule

NEW YORK — Nearly 8 million mobile phone users have switched carriers and kept their cell numbers since a new rule allowing that flexibility went into effect one year ago, the Federal Communications Commission disclosed Tuesday.

Almost 750,000 more people have moved either a home or office phone number to a cell phone, the FCC told The Associated Press on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the agency’s “number portability” order.

The agency planned to report on Wednesday that by the end of October, 8.5 million people had taken advantage of the rule which took effect in the nation’s 100 biggest markets on Nov. 24, 2003. That includes 7.8 million who switched from one cell phone company to another.

The FCC also revealed that the pace picked up significantly when the rules were extended nationally to include smaller and rural markets in late spring, jumping from roughly 700,000 customer switches in March, April and May to more than 1 million in June and 950,000 in July.

The figures suggest that millions of cell phone users may have been frustrated with their cell phone service but were hesitant to switch providers because they didn’t want to give up a phone number which was familiar to friends, business associates and family.