************************************************************** Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround ************************************************************** WIRELESS CARRIERS PROPOSE NEW 'NUMBER PORTABILITY' PLAN For years, U.S. wireless operators have opposed efforts to force them to allow customers to keep their cell phone number when they switch to another carrier. But the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association is now pushing a new plan -- one that would comply with Federal Communications Commission rules on cell phone number portability, but would also require land-line carriers to allow customers to switch their traditional phone numbers to cell phones. The new proposal, if adopted, could accelerate the trend of people dropping their land-line service in favor of going completely wireless. Wireless operators have fought number portability over the years because they fear a dramatic increase in "churn," as they eliminate one inhibition to switching carriers. That could increase costs and likely would spark another round of price wars. "It's basically the nightmare before Christmas," says Roger Entner, an analyst with Yankee Group, who predicts that escalating churn following the Nov. 24 deadline set by the FCC could cost the industry $3 billion in the fourth quarter this year and the first quarter next year in increased commissions, phone subsidies and other sales-related expenditures. By including traditional phone providers in the number portability plan, wireless carriers hope to compensate for loss of cell phone customers with a new influx of former land-line subscribers. "The opportunity to take the wire-line phone and port it to wireless is an opportunity that the wireless industry wants to have happen," says Michael Altschul, general counsel to the CTIA. FCC chairman Michael Powell plans to rule on the CTIA proposal before the Nov. 24 deadline. (Wall Street Journal 10 Apr 2003) <http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB104993000328997700.djm,00.html> *********************************************************** TECHNOLOGY AND THE PERFORMING ARTS Would you like to give your teachers a resource where they can find out how to integrate the Internet with General Performing, Cool Stuff, Dance, Theater, Circus, Costumes, Vaudeville / Burlesque, Playground / Amusements, and Special Events / Festivals <http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Arts/resources2.html> ********************************************************** <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<> EDUCATIONAL CYBERPLAYGROUND http://www.edu-cyberpg.com <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<> Net Happenings,K12 Newsletters, Network Newsletters, New-list http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Community/index.html HOT LIST OF SCHOOLS ONLINE http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Schools/default.asp EDUCATION VENDOR DIRECTORY http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/TheMall/Home_TheMall.asp SERVICES http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/PS/Home_Products.html <>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>~~~~~<>