Issue with porting ATT landline number to GV

[cftang]

Hello:
I tried to port my landline number from ATT to GV. I have purchased a T-Mobile prepaid SIM card for the transfer. However, when I called ATT to ask for the porting, ATT told me that landline number can NOT be ported out.

Is it true? Does anyone encounter the similar issue? What should I do? Please advise. Thanks!

[SteveInWA]

Carriers may not be able to port in numbers from some locations.  You'll have to port in a number from a different location.  There is no workaround.

[cftang]

Hi Steve:
Thanks for your suggestion. Does it mean I can not port the number from ATT to GV directly.
Do you know if there is anything else I can try?

[SteveInWA]

You cannot port any landline number directly to Google Voice.  GV's number porting system will only accept ports-in from mobile phone carriers.

Some phone numbers, regardless of whether they are held by a mobile carrier or a landline carrier, simply cannot be ported at all into GV.  This is caused by the particular location of the telephone exchange that needs to host the number.

You will just have to use a different phone number from a different exchange.  Again, there is no workaround.

[Taoman]

Hello:
I tried to port my landline number from ATT to GV. I have purchased a T-Mobile prepaid SIM card for the transfer. However, when I called ATT to ask for the porting, ATT told me that landline number can NOT be ported out.

Is it true? Does anyone encounter the similar issue? What should I do? Please advise. Thanks!

Whether or not you can port a number in to GV is an entirely different matter than whether or not you can port out of AT&T.

AFAIK, LNP requires AT&T to allow you to port your number out.

To quickly check if your number is not eligible to port into Google Voice click on the link below (may require login to your google account):
https://www.google.com/voice/porting?pli=1

Enter your landline number and click on the Check button. (Yes, I know it says "mobile number." Disregard that)

If a message returns that says:

Ooops! This number appears to be from an area we don't currently support.

then you won't be able to port that number into Google Voice and there's no way around it.

[SteveInWA]

Thanks, Taoman.  I should have added that information.  As long as the AT&T number is currently active (the customer is paying for service), then LNP rules require AT&T to allow it to be ported out.  However...

In this case, re-reading the original post, the description of he issue is too vague to understand the actual root cause.

The OP describes trying to port from an AT&T landline to a T-Mobile account, so no GV yet.  What, exactly, in detail, did AT&T say (why did they supposedly claim it couldn't be ported).  For all we know, this is a disconnected number or the OP didn't pay their bills, in which case, it's not portable.

The OP didn't describe any steps actually taken to port it into T-Mobile, so we have no idea what's even been attempted.

CFTang:  does this AT&T landline number currently work (do you have working, paid service on the line)?  If so, it should be portable.  You'll need to work with T-Mobile to port it in.  It is the responsibility of the gaining carrier (T-Mobile) to request that AT&T port in the number.  All you need to do is to give T-Mobile permission to act on your behalf as your agent, and, if necessary, to tell AT&T to remove their carrier lock or freeze if one is present.

None of this is dependent yet on Google Voice, although Taoman's test will tell you if it's worth fighting over it.

[cftang]

Hi Steve:

Thanks for the further information.

Yes, this AT&T landline number currently works and we pay the service on-time every month. We are on the ATT U-verse program. I think that ATT does not like to see us leaving.
I will give T-mobile permission to act on my behalf as you suggested.

[SteveInWA]

Ha ha, you may be right about them not wanting you to leave -- "triple play" bundles are one of the main tricks that cable providers use to try to retain your business ("but sir, if you cancel your telephone service, we'll raise your internet service price").

You can try escalating to a supervisor, and remind them that the FCC regulations require them to release your number for porting, and that you would hate to have to file a complaint with the FCC.

Before going through that headache, be sure to use the portability test that Taoman linked, to see if GV would be able to port in the number, or else it's a waste of effort to deal with AT&T.  Also, keep in mind:  the US number porting system will reject a number port request (from any carrier to any carrier) if there is already a different port-out request in process for that number.  So, don't try to port into GV until and unless you have successfully completed the prior port out of AT&T u-verse.