Does anybody know what's going on with Vestalink? Are they going out of business ?
Tried to contact but there is no way to contact them. They just auto renewed my account and I lost almost 1000 extra minuets I paid for. Has anybody ported out their number?
Is Anveo a good replacement? Has anyone ported from Vestalink to Anveo?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
A few months back my sister in law tried to contact Vestalink by every known means of human/digital contact. It was all wasted time as Vestalink apparently will only take your money but offer nothing in support. She has moved on and written off her investment in Vestalink as a total loss.
Buyer beware of this outfit!!
I just found this info on another site. Apparently the guy that runs this outfit is a DJ in Washington. His name is Ryan Tilton. Give him a call. Good luck.
"Call or Text"
(405) 283-DJRT (3578)
help@djrt.com
Quote from: Angelc19 on January 12, 2018, 05:28:51 AM
Has anybody ported out their number?
Is Anveo a good replacement? Has anyone ported from Vestalink to Anveo?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Dudly, I successfully ported a DID from Vestalink to Voip.ms.
But that was way back in August 2015 when I first got an uncomfortable
feeling about the reliability of Vestalink.
Voip.ms is great and has a 'LOT' of flexibility.
I was with Vestalink for 4 years using an Obitalk 100. Phone service was okay, and I was paying about $37.50/year for a two year contract, which isn't bad considering E911 is included. But, there is no customer service, period, and the service was declining including the loss of the android app caller (called 'something cloud', I forget). Also, what was once unlimited became a metered monthly minute service - still not a deal killer. The final straw for me was the spam calls. The website interface shows a spam filter, which can be switched on, but it provided no apparent relief. Was getting hit with spam calls two and three times a day. It was a daily task to go to the website and block calls; I think I had about a 1000 numbers blocked when I recently left. When I looked at the portal it said the new price was going up to about $42.50 a year. Maybe they thought to get away with this because it supports the old Obitalk hardware? Okay, I'm done, but I really want that number - I've used it for lots of things. So, my adventure began ...
First, I bought an Obitalk 200 (before the recent price increase!) because I saw Google was changing something on their site and the old Obi devices would stop working. I see now there are ways aroung that, but I'm happy with my Obi 200 since it reliably send faxes (will faxes never die!). Next I read the OBItalk FAQ ( http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial ) about porting to Google Voice which recommends using a cheap prepaid account to get the number to a mobile carrier which is the only type of carrier GV supports for porting. Bought a prepaid Tmobile SIM on Amazon for $9.99, found a compatible unlocked phone to support the SIM, and activated the account asking for a port of the Vestalink number (vestalink account is the 10 digit phone number, PIN is blank). Amazingly it ported in one day! Google accepts ports from Tmobile, so I started the port process on GV (must go to the legacy interface). So, GV port request asks for the account number and a PIN. Saw online that a prepaid Tmobile account number is the phone number. Not sure about the PIN. Didn't remember ever creating a PIN, but I did create a password, so I put that in the PIN box. Wrong! Waited for a day and nothing happened. Did some more reading and found out that 1) Tmobile prepaid account is 1+phone number (11 digits, not 10), and 2), you must call Tmobile customer support to get a 6 digit PIN, since it apparently never surfaces in the online activation process - although I saw something to the affect that it is automatically generated from a portion of the MEI number - whatever. Next problem was that customer service could not generate a new pin because there was a port out request. Cancelled the port out request on Google, waited to see a email verification, called Tmobile back, and, voila, got an account PIN! Tmobile support was great, by the way. Now I started the porting process again with Google and, golly gee, with the right info, the port was complete within 24 hours!
So now I'm using an OBI200 with Google Voice and I still have my old number! The porting process cost about $40 altogether - $10 for Tmobile SIM, $10 minimum Tmobile account charging fee, and $20 for the Google porting fee. And it may cost more if you have to find an unlocked phone for the SIM (cheapest are the BLU phones on Amazon).
So, to sum up, Google Voice quality is better and I only spend $25 a year for Anveo E911 (which I have more faith in than Vestalink). It worries me that OBI is getting acquired, and I may have another journey in the upcoming days, but hey, that's just business as usual in the fast paced world of unfettered capitalism. Hope this helps with anyone wanting to port out from Vestalink. Porting is possible, and fairly quick, if you just dot the i's and cross the t's.
Quote from: elmerF on January 28, 2018, 10:47:05 AM
I was with Vestalink for 4 years using an Obitalk 100. Phone service was okay, and I was paying about $37.50/year for a two year contract, which isn't bad considering E911 is included. But, there is no customer service, period, and the service was declining including the loss of the android app caller (called 'something cloud', I forget). Also, what was once unlimited became a metered monthly minute service - still not a deal killer. The final straw for me was the spam calls. The website interface shows a spam filter, which can be switched on, but it provided no apparent relief. Was getting hit with spam calls two and three times a day. It was a daily task to go to the website and block calls; I think I had about a 1000 numbers blocked when I recently left. When I looked at the portal it said the new price was going up to about $42.50 a year. Maybe they thought to get away with this because it supports the old Obitalk hardware? Okay, I'm done, but I really want that number - I've used it for lots of things. So, my adventure began ...
First, I bought an Obitalk 200 (before the recent price increase!) because I saw Google was changing something on their site and the old Obi devices would stop working. I see now there are ways aroung that, but I'm happy with my Obi 200 since it reliably send faxes (will faxes never die!). Next I read the OBItalk FAQ ( http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial ) about porting to Google Voice which recommends using a cheap prepaid account to get the number to a mobile carrier which is the only type of carrier GV supports for porting. Bought a prepaid Tmobile SIM on Amazon for $9.99, found a compatible unlocked phone to support the SIM, and activated the account asking for a port of the Vestalink number (vestalink account is the 10 digit phone number, PIN is blank). Amazingly it ported in one day! Google accepts ports from Tmobile, so I started the port process on GV (must go to the legacy interface). So, GV port request asks for the account number and a PIN. Saw online that a prepaid Tmobile account number is the phone number. Not sure about the PIN. Didn't remember ever creating a PIN, but I did create a password, so I put that in the PIN box. Wrong! Waited for a day and nothing happened. Did some more reading and found out that 1) Tmobile prepaid account is 1+phone number (11 digits, not 10), and 2), you must call Tmobile customer support to get a 6 digit PIN, since it apparently never surfaces in the online activation process - although I saw something to the affect that it is automatically generated from a portion of the MEI number - whatever. Next problem was that customer service could not generate a new pin because there was a port out request. Cancelled the port out request on Google, waited to see a email verification, called Tmobile back, and, voila, got an account PIN! Tmobile support was great, by the way. Now I started the porting process again with Google and, golly gee, with the right info, the port was complete within 24 hours!
So now I'm using an OBI200 with Google Voice and I still have my old number! The porting process cost about $40 altogether - $10 for Tmobile SIM, $10 minimum Tmobile account charging fee, and $20 for the Google porting fee. And it may cost more if you have to find an unlocked phone for the SIM (cheapest are the BLU phones on Amazon).
So, to sum up, Google Voice quality is better and I only spend $25 a year for Anveo E911 (which I have more faith in than Vestalink). It worries me that OBI is getting acquired, and I may have another journey in the upcoming days, but hey, that's just business as usual in the fast paced world of unfettered capitalism. Hope this helps with anyone wanting to port out from Vestalink. Porting is possible, and fairly quick, if you just dot the i's and cross the t's.
Can you tell me when you ported your number from VL back to GV? I too made the switch from GV to VL when it was announced that GV would be ending sometime in May of 2014. Which means I am up for renewal in May of 2018 so I am trying to get going on this before it is too late. Do you think that VL will give me an issue since I am trying to port away from them? Thanks.
In most cases, carriers are required by FCC regulation to allow their numbers to be ported out.
Just follow the procedure outlined in the post above yours.
User error and submitting incorrect carrier account numbers or PINs are the main reasons ports fail. For the most trouble-free porting experience, follow these tips:
- Get a T-Mobile prepaid, or AT&T Prepaid SIM, and compatible phone handset. Use their website to initiate a port in from your current carrier. Add whatever minimum amount of calling credit is offered for the prepaid phone (usually $10). Wait patiently and do not cancel your port request -- it may take a few days or longer. Do not move forward until both inbound and outbound calling and text messaging works on the prepaid phone number.
- Wait a week after porting into the prepaid carrier. Do not try to rush this, as it causes problems in the number porting system.
- Call or have an online chat with the prepaid carrier. Ask them this specific question: "I need to port my number out of <T-Mobile or AT&T prepaid>. What are the account number and PIN that I need to give to my new carrier, so that <T-Mobile or AT&T prepaid> will approve the port request?"
- Using a Gmail account, go here and sign up for a new Google Voice number. Pick any one of Google Voice's free numbers -- the area code doesn't matter: https://voice.google.com/settings (https://voice.google.com/settings).
- After you have successfully obtained an inbound Google Voice number, then follow these instructions to port in the prepaid number: https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667#xferin (https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667#xferin)
Sister in law just got her number ported from Vestalink to callcentric 4 days ago. She had tried to have Comcast port the number out to them for several months and several tries with no luck. After I tracked down the owner or ex owner? of Vestalink, i gave the info to her. The telephone number did not work, but she did get through on the email address help@djrt.com (his disc jockey email address). He said he canceled the phone number. She emailed him a nice request and miracle upon miracles he responded, and she got her number ported out about 10 days later with Callcentric's help.
Thanks guys for the quick response.
I did purchased a used Tmobile phone some years ago from ebay and that was how I was able to port to VL. Let me see if I can find that phone and give this a shot. I did a look up and my number is with the carrier: Hook Mobile - Sybase365
Does that mean that this DJ Ryan Tilton can't prevent this number from porting away from VL? meaning does he have any say in this? I have emailed their support a few times and have never heard back so I am not optimistic I will ever hear back from him and this was why I wanted to port away from VL. Just a little worried that he won't response or approve this porting.
Does the number still work? There is no way to know if the number can be ported, other than to try. If the company went out of business and stopped paying their carrier's bills, then it's likely that the number was returned to the carrier and can't be ported. But, this is all speculation - you'll have to do your own experiment.
I was able to port out of Vestalink about 3 weeks ago. Ported to Ting (Sprint) and then to Google Voice. Total time was about 8 days. I was with VL for 4 years and had good audio quality. Customer service was almost non existent. I just didn't have faith they would be around if I renewed.
I am using Google Voice through SimonTel. Works great. No E911... but I plan to use mobile for that.
Quote from: DrewMan on February 11, 2018, 08:48:01 PM
I was able to port out of Vestalink about 3 weeks ago. Ported to Ting (Sprint) and then to Google Voice. Total time was about 8 days. I was with VL for 4 years and had good audio quality. Customer service was almost non existent. I just didn't have faith they would be around if I renewed.
I am using Google Voice through SimonTel. Works great. No E911... but I plan to use mobile for that.
Thanks. But, the key here, is a detail you left out. When you ported your number into Ting, what steps did you need to take? Specifically, did you just ask Ting to do it, and gave them some sort of VL account number and the phone number, or did you have to somehow communicate with VL to get them to approve the request?
Went through porting of my Vestalink number to GVoice. I've followed Ting path, and was able to successfully move my number from Vestlaink to GVoice through Ting. I've ordered Ting SIM card on Amazon and started activation process. The caveat is that you would need a pin from Vestalink to get your number ported, initially I've just typed in last four digits of my phone number, apparently that was wrong, so I've reached out to Vestalink support and they actually replied back and asked to use 0000 as a pin and my phone number as an account #. It took 3 business days to complete transfer from Vestalink to Ting and less than a day from Ting to GVoice. Now my number works with OBI through GVoice without any issues.