[ClaraT]

Wah!! I'm very attached to my phone number that I've had with Verizon Wireless for close to ten years. (The last four digits are all the same, you know--3333, 4444, 1111).

I thought I could take it with me, but the ATT customer service rep just said they couldn't move it over. It was assigned to me before the portability law went into affect and she said the companies aren't letting those numbers be moved.

It's not a technical issue. Verizon is just not releasing it. Can this be true?
Is it so?

Any one have any ideas? I haven't contacted Verizon yet, but will be.

Thanks.

[Nodnarb]

this happened to me.

demand to speak to a supervisor, and then their supervisor. I finally got someone nice and she said it'd be no problem...she actually conferenced called AT&T on the phone with me and she had to verbally give them permission to take my number.

It took a few tries to get it right, but I had just bought an iPhone (on launch day) and when I tried to set up my phone, verizon told me my number "couldn't" be transfered. Just don't take no for an answer, and keep asking to speak to superiors, the people who you initially talk to can't do anything for you, they are just reading from the screen in front of them. Just be persistent, and I'm confident you can get them to release your number.

Good luck!!!

[ClaraT]

Nodnarb,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience which gives me hope. (Why I value this forum so much!)

We're singing the same song--I don't take no easily. So it's promising to hear your success. I do have apprehension though that since my number is very unique--I always have people asking "how'd you get THAT number?!" and I tell them it was back in the day when customer service really meant something--that Verizon will pull some proprietary ownership cha cha out of the bag to deny me taking it to another carrier because they don't give out such "custom" numbers anymore.

The ATT rep said she would call me back if her company can help so we'll see how motivated they are to get my business. But independent of wanting the iphone, I want good cell service in my home and Verizon Wireless does not work at all in my current house, unlike others who yap all day, clear as a bell on T-Mobile.

Perhaps it would be better leverage for me to buy the iphone first as you did. If I go to an ATT office in person with a new iphone in hand maybe they'll make sure they've got another customer, just as you experienced.

Will keep you posted.

[Eriamjh]

I was going to say to not give up. They lie to people all the time about what they can and can't do so they don't have to try.

[Kvasir]

Verizon cannot just say no, not according to the Government's own web site on the LNP act. The only reasons for refusal of a wireless-to-wireless port are if the geographic assigned area for the number would also be changing, or some small local rural carriers have (or at least originally had) waivers for the LNP act (I gather due to cost concerns).

So, as long as you are in the same geographic area, just tell AT&T to initiate the port. Once they do that, it is illegal for Verizon to refuse the port.

At least that's how I read the info on the federal site.

[ClaraT]

Originally Posted by Kvasir 

Verizon cannot just say no, not according to the Government's own web site on the LNP act. The only reasons for refusal of a wireless-to-wireless port are if the geographic assigned area for the number would also be changing, or some small local rural carriers have (or at least originally had) waivers for the LNP act (I gather due to cost concerns).

So, as long as you are in the same geographic area, just tell AT&T to initiate the port. Once they do that, it is illegal for Verizon to refuse the port.

At least that's how I read the info on the federal site.

Hmmm. . .now does that mean I must be in California which is where I first got the number? If so, I'll be there next month so could possibly handle it then.
I've been on the East coast for 6 years, using the number which of course is a CA area code.

Is that what you're thinking when you say the "same geographic area"?

Thanks.

[ClaraT]

T-Mobile just told me they could port my number.

I called and inquired as a possible new customer and asked if my number could come with me. The rep took a moment to check, said yes I can. I said are you sure? She said she was positive, then explained the whole procedure.

Then I told her that ATT said I couldn't. Her response: "I'm not hearing that. I don't believe them."

So, I'll give ATT another call later and see what a different rep will tells me.

I haven't even called Verizon Wireless to find out what they will say. I've only gotten the no go from ATT.

Very interesting. . .

[Nodnarb]

That is very interesting. AT&T told me no as well though, because apparently my number was black-listed by verizon. I think it is verizon who you have to deal with, and as others have pointed out, they are legally required to let you do what you wish with your number. Point this out when the first person tells you no, and quickly escalate the conversation to someone at verizon with power. Tell them that "your friend" was in the same situation, and called AT&T's porting number (have this number ready) on conference call, and then ask for the same service to be done.

Once you, verizon, and AT&T are all on the line at the same time, it's just a matter of having to repeat "yes, I authorize you to give them my number" a million times because they are each required to ask you at each step of the process. Keep us posted, and once again, good luck!

[Kvasir]

Originally Posted by ClaraT 

Hmmm. . .now does that mean I must be in California which is where I first got the number? If so, I'll be there next month so could possibly handle it then.
I've been on the East coast for 6 years, using the number which of course is a CA area code.

Is that what you're thinking when you say the "same geographic area"?

Thanks.

Where are you now, where you are trying to port the number to? You would not be able to, for example, port a west coast number to an east coast calling area. You need to at least be in the same LATA (there is a list at wikipedia), I think (not necessarily the same area code though). So, there are limitations on how far you can move and still port your number. If you are no longer living within the state of California, then no, you almost certainly cannot port your number.

<edit>
DUH! Shows how awake I am (just registered the part where you say you are on the east coast) - I'd say you are SOL. No company is going to be able to port a CA number to an east coast LATA. And AT&T will be basing your allowable numbers based on your billing address - you would need to have a CA billing address for the AT&T account to port the Verizon CA number (and would pay fees, taxes and such based on it being a CA account, not an east coast account).

Remember, it is the Local number portability act (LNP), not the national number portability act.

[ClaraT]

Yep, I think we're cracking the code here folks. I think the hang up with ATT (at least with the customer service rep I had, who didn't have the sense to check if it would work in a different zip code) is my phone number is a West coast number and my billing address is an East coast zipcode.

I went to the ATT website, put in the CA phone number and the East coast billing address and got NOT ELIGIBLE.

Then I put in the same CA phone number and my former zip code in CA and--viola!! got CONGRATULATIONS, YOUR NUMBER IS ELIGIBLE.

Now check this out. . . with T-Mobile, I put the phone number in to check eligibility on their website without being asked for a billing zip code and got:

"Yes! You can transfer this phone number to T-Mobile. Select the check box and click the button below to add the number to your shopping cart and proceed to checkout."

So, either T-Mobile gets sticky about transferring the number once they learn the billing zip is not in the same LATA, or they can do it no problem and don't have the same technical issue as ATT.

But the good news is I've figured out a way to transfer my number to ATT--just give them a friend's address in CA and I should be good to go. So I'll be calling ATT again and discussing more with them directly.

Hey everyone, I wouldn't have gotten this far without your invaluable input and support, so many thanks. Lesson learned, "never give up, never, never, never."

[Cold Warrior]

If you pay by credit card, you may have an issue as the mailing address won't match the billing, and they may use that to deny your transfer. Just a thought.

[ClaraT]

Gulp! Good point. I'll prepare for that.

It just seems that we're in a very mobile society with people moving across the country for jobs, school, life, etc. and that it shouldn't be that hard to keep your number wherever you go.

If I pay from my online banking what do they care where my billing address is.

But, yea, I hadn't thought of that.

Many thanks.

[stuffedmonkey]

Funny that your house as bad Verizon service.. I'm in DC as well and Verizon gives me the best service by far. I was having no end of troubles with TMobile.... Basically I had to go out on my front porch to make a reliable call.

ATT/Cingular is sorta medium....

[zerock]

i dont think there would be a problem. i moved to Puerto Rico. but i activated using my Miami Address, and my credit card address was from PR. i did all this on itunes in like 3 minutes.

[ghporter]

A lot of sales folks don't have enough knowledge about the law to really be able to tell you the truth-and it looks like mostly this is people saying "I don't feel like going to the trouble for you." As far as I know, the telephone number portability law doesn't say anything about certain numbers being excluded because they were assigned before the law took effect.

Here's the FCC's page on the issue of portability. There are some issues with small, wireline companies, but nothing about huge wireless companies. Push until you get things dealt with appropriately.

[henjin]

I am a new AT&T iPhone customer. I still have my Verizon service as I'm testing the iPhone but have an old Verizon cell number. I was told by Helio when I was testing the Ocean that my Verizon number was portable. All I needed was the number, the acc# and the password to port.
As it's the main account phone number I'm going to have to talk to Verizon anyway about moving my wife's phone to a another plan.

However Verizon is really mean spirited and I would not be surprised if there is a loophole about numbers being ported. Though it's really stupid of them as they have to take the number out of circulation.

[ClaraT]

Originally Posted by stuffedmonkey 

Funny that your house as bad Verizon service.. I'm in DC as well and Verizon gives me the best service by far. I was having no end of troubles with TMobile.... Basically I had to go out on my front porch to make a reliable call.

ATT/Cingular is sorta medium....

Yes, when I'm in DC proper, Verizon is pretty good, but not in my new home just outside of DC in Maryland. It's simply useless.

[ClaraT]

Originally Posted by henjin 

I am a new AT&T iPhone customer. I still have my Verizon service as I'm testing the iPhone but have an old Verizon cell number. I was told by Helio when I was testing the Ocean that my Verizon number was portable. All I needed was the number, the acc# and the password to port.
As it's the main account phone number I'm going to have to talk to Verizon anyway about moving my wife's phone to a another plan.

However Verizon is really mean spirited and I would not be surprised if there is a loophole about numbers being ported. Though it's really stupid of them as they have to take the number out of circulation.

I'm a bit confused. Are you using your old Verizon cell number on your Ocean and do you have a "temporary number" during your testing period of the iphone? Just trying to ascertain where your old Verizon number is at the moment and if you are hoping to port it to the iphone if you go with that.

Also, great link from the FCC site ghporter. Thank you.

[alex_kac]

My number from 8 years ago was ported 3 times no problem.

[hldan]

To the OP: Whomever you spoke to at Verizon that person was Bee Essing you. I have worked for Sprint PCS for 7 years and we have ported numbers for customers that have been with us for years longer before the number portability act was set it place.