Working to get all their ducks in a row before the impending Nov. 24 local number portability deadline, carriers continue to forge agreements. The latest: AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless have signed a porting operating pact.

The companies have agreed to terms as to how numbers will be ported between them. The carriers say their agreements with other wireless carriers will help smooth the LNP process, even though the FCC has said porting agreements are not necessary.

As part of their goal to make porting as seamless as possible, many carriers, including AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless, have launched LNP information centers and have offered tip sheets on what consumers should expect when porting a number. Verizon, for example, says customers should do the following before making a carrier switch: check eligibility; keep current service active until the switch is finalized; read current bill to be aware of early termination fees and other contractual requirements; keep good records; and keep contact number handy in case a porting question arises. As an added tip, Verizon Wireless reminds customers that porting is possible between landline and wireless providers. "Cut the cord," it recommends.

Speaking at the UBS Conference in New York, Verizon's vice chairman and president Lawrence Babbio said LNP represents an opportunity for Verizon Wireless to reinforce its leadership position, and he said Verizon is committed to make the experience as easy as possible for both wireline and wireless customers. Verizon and Verizon Wireless were among the first companies to sign a porting agreement.

Babbio added that Verizon is well prepared for LNP and the company is in a 'strong position' as the deadline approaches.

On Friday, AT&T Wireless unveiled LNP deals with Cingular Wireless and Sprint PCS. Both AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless already have separate porting pacts with T-Mobile. Number-portability-Virgin Mobile