Need Help With Question about Phone Number Portability

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If I switch to a different cell phone provider, will my previous provider be able to hold on to my cell phone numbers until I pay them in full?

How soon can the numbers be released? Thanks in advance.

[mawilson 2,133]

If I switch to a different cell phone provider, will my previous provider be able to hold on to my cell phone numbers until I pay them in full?

How soon can the numbers be released? Thanks in advance.

When I asked AT&T to transfer my old number over to T-Mobile, I think they did it in less than a day.

[HAL 9000 96]

By law you pay for your number's portability every month... so its yours technically.

Of course, any contractual agreements need to be met and since those are monetary, you just have to agree to pay them and do so...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By law you pay for your number's portability every month... so its yours technically.

Of course, any contractual agreements need to be met and since those are monetary, you just have to agree to pay them and do so...

Hmmmm...I'm trying to decide if it's worth the $150 x 2 early cancellation fee to switch to a cheaper provider with no contract. I f##king hate that they require a renewal of my 2 year contract anytime I change my minutes plan, add a phone, etc. The major providers know they've essentially got a lock on anyone who signs up.

[HAL 9000 96]

Ahhh... consumer friendliness at its best... good ole' laissez faire at work.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ahhh... consumer friendliness at its best... good ole' laissez faire at work.

Yep. Thankfully, there's a new competitor in town offering no contract service, but I'm wondering how long before they succumb to the same tactics.

[HAL 9000 96]

The bigger they get, the greedier they'll be. Its something about the system that so many folks fail to comprehend. They're out to protect their board of investors, not their workforces nor their customers.

[mawilson 2,133]

By law you pay for your number's portability every month... so its yours technically.

Of course, any contractual agreements need to be met and since those are monetary, you just have to agree to pay them and do so...

Hmmmm...I'm trying to decide if it's worth the $150 x 2 early cancellation fee to switch to a cheaper provider with no contract. I f##king hate that they require a renewal of my 2 year contract anytime I change my minutes plan, add a phone, etc. The major providers know they've essentially got a lock on anyone who signs up.

Why do you care? You need a cell phone now and you will likely need a cell phone 2 years

from now - contract or no contract. Now if you're unhappy with your current provider for

some other reason, then by all means do switch to a better one. If the contract is the only

thing that bothers you, I don't think it's worth it.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

I have now ported numbers twice, but that was when porting first became available (and I perform the ports right away).

However, you may want to discuss this with your potential new carrier to discover whether they required that you port your current cell phone number upon starting a new contract, at which case you will be required to settle any outstanding balance in order for your number(s) to port from your current carrier. If you are still under contract with your current carrier, you will receive a bill for the cancelation fee(s) at the end of your billing cycle.

Cheers...

Ahmari

[badspellor 0]

Who is your carrier? You might be able to get out of the contract for free. Anytime they make a change to your contract you have a time window to cancel, to not accept their new terms and conditions. For example, Verizon recently hiked their monthly administrative charge. I'm not sure when the 60 day period expires but you would call and speak to a supervisor, tell them you're not happy that they've changed the fee and it is your right to have the ETF waived. Since you're porting your number, you would have them just make a note on the account so that when you port the number it won't show up or you can call and have them refer to the note on the account to get it removed from your bill. You have to do it that way since you can't port your number once the account is closed. It has to be done while it's still open.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Who is your carrier? You might be able to get out of the contract for free. Anytime they make a change to your contract you have a time window to cancel, to not accept their new terms and conditions. For example, Verizon recently hiked their monthly administrative charge. I'm not sure when the 60 day period expires but you would call and speak to a supervisor, tell them you're not happy that they've changed the fee and it is your right to have the ETF waived. Since you're porting your number, you would have them just make a note on the account so that when you port the number it won't show up or you can call and have them refer to the note on the account to get it removed from your bill. You have to do it that way since you can't port your number once the account is closed. It has to be done while it's still open.

Interesting. Verizon is my carrier...my original contract would be up in October of this year, but I increased my plan to more minutes about a year ago.

[badspellor 0]

Interesting. Verizon is my carrier...my original contract would be up in October of this year, but I increased my plan to more minutes about a year ago.

Ah that's really too bad. Check this out:

http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=2440

Anyway, yeah complain about the fee saying that they changed the terms and conditions of your contract and you want put on month to month. Here's a thread on another board about it:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=807658