Calling on Consumers

“Cell Phone Numbers Racket” (editorial, Jan. 17) is well-intentioned but misinformed. As attractive an idea as taking your number with you when you switch wireless providers may be, it will redirect almost $1 billion in its first year and half-a-billion dollars every year thereafter away from consumers’ No. 1 concern: continuing to expand coverage and quality.

This is a matter of choice. Should the industry spend billions on continuing to fight blocked calls and dropped calls, or should that money be spent on rebuilding the infrastructure for something that will be of value only to a few? The money will be spent and should be spent on what consumers really are asking for.

Tom Wheeler

President, Cellular

Telecommunications & Internet

Assn., Washington