Cellular changes set to take effect Monday

Starting Monday, residents in less-populated areas of the country will be able to take advantage of federal rules allowing cellular users to keep their phone numbers when switching to new wireless carriers.

Most wireless companies in Lawrence began allowing customers to switch, or port, their numbers in November when the 100 largest markets in the country were required to comply with the regulations. But since Lawrence wasn’t part of the 100 largest markets, sometimes the switching process wouldn’t work.

“We have been running into some situations where we haven’t been able to port certain numbers,” said Tucker Bickel with Lawrence’s Mobile Communications. “We think it should be a lot better come Monday.”

Above, several phones are displayed Friday at Midwest Digital, 801 W. 23rd St.

Energy

Enron sheds assets

Bankrupt Enron Corp. has agreed to sell its most prized remaining assets to a company run by Texas billionaire Oscar Wyatt Jr. for $1.8 billion.

Enron announced Friday it had agreed to sell CrossCountry Energy Corp., which has whole or part interest in three North American natural gas pipelines, to NuCoastal LLC.

The deal must be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur Gonzalez in New York. NuCoastal also would assume $430 million in debt from the 2,600-mile Transwestern Pipeline in the deal.

Automotive

Mitsubishi slashes jobs

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will cut 11,000 jobs, nearly a quarter of its global work force, and get a $4 billion infusion from its parent and other investors under a plan its chief executive described as its “last chance.”

The Japanese firm is racking up losses and debt amid plunging sales as it struggles to restore its credibility after recurring recall cover-ups.

The Tokyo-based automaker was dealt an additional blow when it suffered what one executive dubbed “the Daimler shock” when U.S.-German automaker DaimlerChrysler AG decided last month against offering more money for a turnaround.