1.   And the available evidence suggests that consumers would be more likely to change carriers if they could take their phone numbers with them.

2.   Because of stiff competition among carriers, many people change carriers and get new phones.

3.   Even within the same market, if customers wants to change carriers, they must often acquire a new phone that operates under a different technical standard.

4.   In Chile, callers can basically change carriers with every call by typing an access code.

5.   Local companies bill for long-distance carriers, and the general look of the bill will not change even though the long-distance carrier is changed.

6.   OPPOSITION TO TRANSFERABLE NUMBERS Wireless telephone companies are supposed to install technology by late November that will let customers keep their phone numbers when changing carriers.

7.   The fact that customers change carriers so frequently also points to healthy competition, said Peter Pitsch, a telecommunications analyst with the Hudson Institute.

8.   Wireless carriers are supposed to install technology by late November that will let customers keep their phone numbers when changing carriers.

9.   Your local phone company may charge you for each PIC freeze request you make and it may charge you a fee each time you change long-distance carriers.

10.   Bear Stearns analyst Tom Longman said the crash probably would not cause most travelers to change carriers.