AUGUSTA – In most of the United States, your phone number, whether a conventional wireline phone or a cell phone, is now yours to take with you to any phone service provider you choose. But that right will not come to Mainers for another six months.

“Your phone number belongs to you, and you will finally be able to do what you choose with it,” said Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell, in a speech to the National Press Club last week. “This is a monumental improvement for consumers.”

But the new FCC policy has taken effect in only the top 100 markets in the country, with Maine and a lot of rural areas in the country waiting until May 24, 2004, for that new right. U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe praised the new policy, even though Mainers won’t benefit immediately.

“In addition to changing wireless carriers, in many cases, consumers will be able to switch from a wireline carrier to a wireless carrier, or vice versa,” Snowe said in a statement.

However, the number could not be used for both a cell phone and a wired phone.

Snowe noted that while companies operating in Maine have six months to implement the new rules, some may implement the rules sooner. She urged Mainers that want to take advantage earlier to contact their phone company to see when they will be implementing the change.

The six-month delay could work to Maine’s advantage, said Public Advocate Steve Ward. His office represents consumer interests before the Maine Public Utilities Commission.

“We encourage people to go slow and not make any abrupt decisions,” he said. “It’s good that we are not guinea pigs in this new process.”

Ward said there have been news accounts that some phone companies, both wireline and cell, have not been setting aside the funds authorized by the FCC to accomplish the transition. He said there may be delays or unforeseen problems that crop up during implementation of the new rules that Mainers will be spared.

“It’s not always good to be first,” he said.

Ward said his office is not required to handle consumer complaints about cell phone companies like it is when consumers have complaints about the traditional PUC-regulated phone companies.

“But we try to help anyone that calls and tell them how to get in touch with the FCC,” he said, “and we publish our consumer guide that lists comparative rates of cell phone companies as well as wireline companies in Maine.”

Sen. Chris Hall, D-Bristol, co-chairman of the Legislatures’ Utilities Committee, said it may be time for the Legislature to consider broadening the responsibility of the Public Advocates Office.

“We have seen some real changes in the way people use their cell phones,” he said. “We have had some discussions of expanding the role of the Advocate’s office and this is just one more reason to look at that issue.”

Hall said that for a growing number of Mainers, their cell phone is their only phone. He said because the FCC pre-empts most of the regulation of cell phone companies, what the Advocate’s office can do may be limited, but important.

“I think people deserve having someone advocating for them,” he said, “and really, this is a trend where the whole area of telephony needs to be looked at again. We have cable TV companies providing telephone services and cell companies getting into data transmission.”

Steve Diamond, one of three members of Maine’s PUC, agreed the changing nature of how communications services are provided and regulated has blurred the lines for regulators. He said the portability of telephone numbers is just the most current example of that process.

“I think it’s probably a good idea if the legislature takes a look at this,” he said. “There have been a lot of changes in telecommunications, and more are expected.”

Diamond expects the commission will discuss the number-portability issue before the new federal rules affect Mainers next May.

Anyone seeking more information should go to www.fcc.gov.