What Has Number Portability Done For You? 756
Coldeagle writes "Number portability has been around for a few days now, I was wondering; have any of you fellow Slashdot readers switched carriers? How was your experience, and have you seen any price warring since it went into place?" Or is number portability so far more hype than happenin'?
I did... (Score:5, Informative)
One tip for those who are thinking of trying to port their number. Do *not* do the process online. I ordered my new phone that way and the number ported two days before my new phone arrived. As soon as your number ports, your old phone stops working for anything besides 911 calls. Needless to say, I was without a cell phone for two days while I waited for my new phone to arrive.
Other than that, everything went pretty smoothly.
I was able to use it to get a better deal.. (Score:5, Informative)
It can't hurt to ask!
All I know... (Score:5, Informative)
What's it has done for me (Score:3, Informative)
For those of you wondering what this is (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/numbport.ht ml
Background: What is Telephone Number Portability
Telephone number portability is a service that provides residential and business telephone customers with the ability to retain, at the same location, their existing local telephone numbers when switching from one local telephone service provider to another.
In 1996 Congress reexamined and changed the Telecommunications Act to promote competition and reduce regulation in all telecommunications markets. Before that time, a major barrier to competition was the inability of customers to switch from one telephone company to another while retaining the same telephone number. Congress directed local telephone companies to offer "telephone number portability."
In order to provide the kind of telephone number portability envisioned by Congress, telephone companies had to invest in upgrades to their networks. In 1998 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) evaluated the cost involved in local number portability and determined that existing local telephone companies were allowed, but not required, to recover the costs of implementing and providing telephone number portability through two kinds of charges: (1) charges paid by other telephone companies that use a telephone company's number portability facilities to process their own calls; and (2) a small, fixed monthly charge assessed on telephone customers or "end users."
What is the Long-Term Telephone Number Portability End-Use Charge?
The long-term number portability end-user charge is a fixed, monthly charge through which local telephone companies may recover certain costs of providing long-term number portability service. Recoverable costs include those for creating new facilities, physically upgrading or improving the existing public switched telephone network, and performing the ongoing functions associated with providing long-term number portability. FCC rules state that incumbent local telephone companies may, but are not required to, recover certain costs of providing number portability by charging their customer a monthly fee.
Am I Required to Pay the Long-Term Portability Charge if I Am a Lifeline Assistance Program Customer?
Carriers can not impose the monthly long-term number portability charge on customers of the Lifeline Assistance Program.
Does Long-Term Telephone Number Portability Mean That I Can Keep the Same Telephone Number if I Move Across Town or to Another State?
The type of telephone number portability that local telephone companies must provide is called "service provider portability." Service provider portability allows a customer to keep his telephone number when changing local telephone companies. It does not allow customers to take their telephone numbers with them when they move.
Can I Keep the Same Wireline Telephone Number if I Switch My Local Telephone Service to a Cellular or Personal Communications Service (PCS) Telephone Service Provider or Vice-Versa?
Cellular and other wireless carriers are not required to provide telephone number portability at this time. For this reason, customers cannot retain the same local telephone number if they change their local service from a wireline local telephone company to a wireless carrier, like a cellular or PCS service provider. Likewise, customers cannot switch from a cellular or PCS service provider to a local wireline service provider and keep the same cellular or PCS telephone number.
Will All Telephone Customers Be Charged for Telephone Number Portability?
Local telephone companies can only charge customers in areas where local telephone number portability is available to all consumers. Telephone number portability may not be available in all service areas.
Does the FCC Require Local Telephone Companies to Bill Consumers for Long-term Telephone Number Portability?
The FCC allows, but does not require, local telephone c
The whole idea is stupid to begin with (Score:2, Informative)
At least that's how I see it.
Re:I'd like to (Score:2, Informative)
As far as avoiding RadioShack, around here (Iowa) we have a lot of Verizon shops/Technolgy Huts in the malls. They handle hookups/etc. Worth a shot I guess.
Other than that, Radio Shack is a lot better now than they were. Then again, I've never had a problem with then.
What about the phone? (Score:1, Informative)
Get the name right (Score:3, Informative)
your signature (Score:4, Informative)
Actually it does -- a wildfire sucks air from earth surface like crazy, so if you ignite another fire just at the right place at the right time it will be propagating towards the original fire and when they collide both will have no more fuel to burn.
Learned from some cowboys/indians book when I was a kid
Paul B.
Re:I did... (Score:5, Informative)
Sprint odesn't advertise it, but you don't need a contract with them. They just charge you $10 a month extra without it. I know this first hand after calling to complain about the $10 charge when I had, in fact, signed an agreement. Also, after your agreement term has passed, they just keep billing you at the same rate, no sudden surge in sales calls to sign up for a new plan or anything. I'm pretty happy with it. I just wish they has a selection of phones without antennas.
Seriously, how many people had the opportunity to switch, but would not b/c they would lose their number.
Me, for one, when I had to replace my phone and Sprint wasn't offering any deals for phone upgrades to existing customers. If I didn't have to buy new phones, I would consider switching to Verizon or T-Mobile, now that I can keep my number.
Re:All I know... (Score:5, Informative)
There's no government tax for number portibilty, Sprint's simply trying to tell you that because of this new set of rules, they've decided to raise your rates by $2.20 a month. They can do that, the contract you signed with them says they can. But, if you're on a month-to-month status, you can use number portibilty to break away from them right here right now. Even if you've got time to go on your contract, you can put them on notice that if they don't retract that fee, they have a 0% chance of keeping you when the contract ends... or you might just ask them to calculate the penalty fee and see if it's worth paying.
It's a HASSLE!! (Score:5, Informative)
The day after the portability law went into effect, I headed to Verizon to get the new LG VX6000 and to switch over from ATT Wireless to Verizon Wireless.
Verizon seemed to do their part pretty quickly. Activation was quick, I was able to call out in 15 minutes. While I am able to call out on my new phone, I still (and remember, it's been a WEEK) cannot receive phone calls because ATT Wireless is taking their sweet ass time to finish their portion of the porting.
I read the law for the portability, and I expected a major loophole. No timeline or period was stated in the law claiming the maximum amount of time a company is allowed to take with the process. I've called AT&T Wireless a numerous amount of times and they keep telling me the same thing.. "Systems are down". When asked for an explanation, the representative can't even elaborate on the reason because, well honestly, i don't think they have any clue what the hell is going.
I don't know if anyone else is experiencing this (I live in metro New York), but this sure as hell is frustrating. After this post I am planning to call AT&T Wireless, again, and if they dare say "systems are down" I think I'll flip out.. something I rarely do.
So yeah, don't expect everything to work right away, especially with AT&T Wireless.
I've switched to T-Mobile. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:All I know... (Score:3, Informative)
If your SS number starts with ZERO (Score:2, Informative)
It's 10 days later and here I sit - without it ported.........what a joke
prove it (Score:1, Informative)
AT&T has some delays due to their Siebel software fiasco. But not for months, not at all for most people and not with other carriers.
A scenario you talk of is not complying. The FCC wouldn't stand for it.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:3, Informative)
Get out of your contract! (Score:2, Informative)
Call them and demand to be put on month-to-month payments because you never agreed to that charge in your original contract. Then you're free to come or go as you please!
If it was me, I'd see if I could get them to throw in the latest phone model for free if I signed the NEW contract.
Easy way to get yourself a nifty new color camera phone!
Re:nada, and it never will... (Score:3, Informative)
So they offer cheaper service upfront and try to make sure you stck around long enough to make a profit from you.
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:5, Informative)
No, it's merely against a DMA (Direct Marketing Association) rule, violate the rule and I presume the DMA can take action against you if you're a member. There's no requirement to be a member, of course, but as with most industry associations there are advantages, mainly in the lobbying and legal arenas I suspect.
The DMA also knows what will happen if they start calling cell phones -- there will be a Federal law akin to the Junk Fax law, and there will be no allowances for mistakes. Right now they at least get the "oops" factor and make damn sure that it gets entered on a do not call list (another advantage of the DMA I suspect -- you may not want to share numbers that just ask you not to call, but you do want to share numbers you should never call like cell phones and emergency service (hospitals/fire/police stations)).
Re:It's a HASSLE!! -- UPDATE (Score:5, Informative)
on a further note, if any ATT (or non-ATT) customers have any portability related questions and cannot get through.. try this number.. 1-800-241-0335 It's the "hidden" portability department number. The queue seems to be pretty fast (barely waited 30 seconds), so give that a shot
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:2, Informative)
Re:nada, and it never will... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:3, Informative)
No telemarketer worth anything hand dials numbers.
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:1, Informative)
Same thing for me, but
From a message a little lower:
"Cellular and other wireless carriers are not required to provide telephone number portability at this time. For this reason, customers cannot retain the same local telephone number if they change their local service from a wireline local telephone company to a wireless carrier, like a cellular or PCS service provider. Likewise, customers cannot switch from a cellular or PCS service provider to a local wireline service provider and keep the same cellular or PCS telephone number."
Re:All I know... (Score:5, Informative)
I know most carriers charge you a PER MONTH fee, so it could cost you a fair amount over the long term to keep your number. T-Mobile does not charge any fees for keeping your number when you port to them.
One carrier, Qwest will kill your home phone as well if you port your Qwest cellphone to another carrier. Seems kinda rude to me.
All in all I havn't gotten nearly as many people that want to port their number in the last few days. I'd say only 15% of those with existing service I sign up want to port their number. A lot of people like the idea of a new number simply to stop unneccessary calls from people. When you have a cellphone I find people will call that number exclusively even if you're at home, so you burn minutes when you don't need to.
As far as big sales to keep existing customers, you bet! Normally (I feel)T-Mobile beats everyone's plan price hands down, but since November the competition's gotten a lot stiffer. Not that everyone gets those promotional plans, but those promotions are top notch from every carrier. It's a prime time to sign up with anyone right now really. In six months prices will probably go back to what they were since the hype will have died down.
FCC complaint form online, and easy to fill out (Score:5, Informative)
Re:All I know... (Score:3, Informative)
I hated Sprint. It stopped working in my apartment which was most problematic as I was using it as my primary phone. They were most understanding (Gee, that sucks...)
I was able to use the Terms of Service against them b/c they changed it within the previous month and there was a non-acceptance clause which gave me an out without a cancellation fee.
Taken from the Sprint ToS page:
Terms and Conditions of Services
Effective as of November 24, 2003 until replaced
If we change a material term of the Agreement and that change has a material adverse effect on you, you may terminate the Agreement without an early termination fee by calling 1-888-211-4727 within 30 days after the invoice date of the first invoice your receive after the changes go into effect.
Now I don't know what constitutes a material adverse effect, but I bet if you holler loud enough you can get out. It worked for me.
As always do your own research.
The UK experience (Score:3, Informative)
I instantly got some smooth bloke asking "is there a problem sir", who (now that he's been prompted) took the time to look at my 5 years of usage and had the authority to offer me
Re:why is number portability such a big deal??? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:I did... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Dock It (Score:3, Informative)
I use a Vox2 docking station. You wire it (plug it into a jack) to your house wiring and any existing phone can use your cell to dial out. (You press # for send) No land line required.
Re:nada, and it never will... (Score:1, Informative)
That's not true at Verizon. I walked in w/ a brand-new VX6000. I got it from a friend as a gift. Verizon made me sign a 1-yr deal with them to get service.
Re:Jury's out on that one (Score:2, Informative)
The TCPA (http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/47/227.html) says (cut-n-pasted to cut out nonrelated stuff)....