Number porting to GV - my experience

[dadab]

My original device with ooma still shows blue light(=active) and I can still make outgoing calls from it if I connect my phone to ooma hub. Should I call them to cancel? Port from ooma to t-mobile was done on 06/24. I just don't want them to attach $3.73 next month's bill. TIA.

[dadab]

Just chatted with ooma rep. He says my account still active with ooma. He has no idea my number has been already transferred out and I am using GV using new number. I have to call CS on Monday to have an idea.

[FM9295]

Sorry to go off topic here but I can't find anywhere on the site to start a new thread other than to reply to an existing post.  Can someone help?

My real question is about an OBi 110.  Suddenly my "line in from TELCO" and "line out to phone" aren't communicating.  I can't get dialtone.  When I have my unit powered and ethernet plugged in, both LEDs are lit.  I can get to the web interface via ip address from a browser.

When I don't have an RJ 11 from the telco plugged in, the light is not lit.  When I plug it in, it lights up (seems as it should be).  When I don't have the RJ 11 from my handset plugged into the unit--no corresponding light for that jack.  When I plug it in, I get the light (again, seems to be as it should be).

I tried a cable tester that checks for pinouts on ethernet and RJ 11 cables and I cannot get continuity across those 2 jacks. 

Is my unit bricked?

[FM9295]

Sorry to go off topic here but I can't find anywhere on the site to start a new thread other than to reply to an existing post.  Can someone help?

My real question is about an OBi 110.  Suddenly my "line in from TELCO" and "line out to phone" aren't communicating.  I can't get dialtone.  When I have my unit powered and ethernet plugged in, both LEDs are lit.  I can get to the web interface via ip address from a browser.

When I don't have an RJ 11 from the telco plugged in, the light is not lit.  When I plug it in, it lights up (seems as it should be).  When I don't have the RJ 11 from my handset plugged into the unit--no corresponding light for that jack.  When I plug it in, I get the light (again, seems to be as it should be).

I tried a cable tester that checks for pinouts on ethernet and RJ 11 cables and I cannot get continuity across those 2 jacks. 

Is my unit bricked?

SORRY--one bit of information was incorrect---my "phone out" jack remains lit even when nothing is plugged into it.    The status is saying "on hook" for both "phone" and "line" with no change if I pick up the handset.  The status of both ports is also showing 0 mA;  Line port tip/ring voltage shows 57 V if I have line plugged in and zero if it's out.  The handset I have plugged into the phone port is a known good phone (if I use an in-line connector to connect my "line" and "phone" cables, I get dialtone right away.  But as I said, there is no change in the status of the phone port when I have everything hooked up correctly and pick up the handset.  Since the phone port is staying lit regardless of whether anything is plugged into it (and since taking the phone off hook doesn't change the status of the phone port), would you say my phone port is toast (and, again, the unit is essentially bricked)?

[Shale]

Sorry to go off topic here but I can't find anywhere on the site to start a new thread other than to reply to an existing post.

To start a new thread, click on "New Topic" off to the right near the top. You may have to scroll your screen right to do that.

SORRY--one bit of information was incorrect---

You can click Modify on one of your posts to change/modify the content of the post.

[FM9295]

There is honestly nothing like that on my screen.  If I scroll to the right all I have is a vertical bar of ads but no "new topic" option that I can see???  Is yours under or above the banner ad for OBi200 at the top?  I'm using Firefox 13.0.1.  Thanks.

[dircom]

did you log in to obitalk?

[FM9295]

Yes--it says "Hello FM9295" at the top so I think I am logged in.

[Kokopelli520]

Just wondering if anybody has tried this porting process with Verizon Mobile yet.


Long story short.... my existing "landline" is a NetTalk Duo, which will expire in mid august. I have an active pre-paid Virgin mobile phone (which I'm not planning on making part of this process) and three dead Verizon phones collecting dust in a drawer.

I would really rather not have to buy another phone just to use for a couple of days, and Verizon apparently can re-animate dead phones to use on their prepaid plans.

I'm assuming Google Voice wouldn't have a problem porting from Verizon, since they are one of the largest cell carriers, but just thought I would ask if anybody had done a successful porting from them.

[CoalMinerRetired]

Just wondering if anybody has tried this porting process with Verizon Mobile yet.

Mentioned multiple times in this thread, with this thread open to any page type Verizon in the search box near the upper right.

[dircom]

George Bush said there is something called "The Google"
wonder what would happen if I typed
"port verizon prepaid number to google voice"

[Kokopelli520]

Just wondering if anybody has tried this porting process with Verizon Mobile yet.

Mentioned multiple times in this thread, with this thread open to any page type Verizon in the search box near the upper right.

Well, I looked at all 14 pages of this thread, and I saw one post with questions similar to mine, and another where somebody mentioned they should buy a cheap Verizon prepaid phone for the process, but I didn't see a follow-up to either one with results, so I thought I would ask.

George Bush said there is something called "The Google"
wonder what would happen if I typed
"port verizon prepaid number to google voice"

I'm very familiar with Google (and even some better search engines which don't track their users), but thanks for the suggestion. Though I'm not likely to do anything because George Bush recommended it. 

[Kokopelli520]

OK, just to follow up on my own experience here.......


Bad news is, if you want to keep your landline number, I would advise you not to use Verizon prepaid phones to do it.

While reanimating one of my zombie Verizon phones was easy, they would not allow me to port my number in order to do so, because they claimed I wasn't the "account owner". Even though I personally set up the account and did not give anybody else permission to do anything with it. So who else would be the owner?

This of course reminded me why I dumped Verizon in the first place, because their customer service probably ranks second only to Comcast in terms of pure suckage.

Good news is, since Google Voice didn't have any phone numbers available in my area, at least Verizon was able to provide that much. And the port from Verizon to Google was easy enough, and took just over 24 hrs.

So, total time for the whole process = roughly 48 hours.

Total cost = $15 to Verizon (minimum they would allow for prepaid minutes) + $20 to Google. = $35

Kinda wish I could have kept my old number, which ironically came from Google Voice (then known as Grand Central) in the first place. But what the hell..... 7 years is a good ride for phone numbers these days. Too many telemarketing calls recently anyway.

[rrock]

I had a different experience porting to GV.  I followed all the steps and got a message from GV that they will not port from Tmobile prepaid.  I called a number furnished to port but got an error.  I later tried a different approach and got a message from GV that they would not port that number.  I was ready to give up but tried again yesterday and got it to port and 12 hours later I had a functioning GV.  I am not sure what is going on but hope I do not have to go through that again. 

Remember you will need the PIN you gave Tmobile for your sim card, not your PW for your user account.

[rainking430]

Another success story. Ported AT&T U-Verse voice number to T-Mobile prepaid to GV. I don't think it is important, but note that the number was originally with SNET before porting to Sunrocket (RIP) to Packet8 (now 8X8) to U-Verse. I have had this number for >20 years.

AT&T U-Verse is an internet service that includes an internet phone number as part of a package deal and is not the same as AT&T Wireless.

From my experience I would recommend anyone wanting to port from AT&T U-verse Voice to use AT&T Go Phone and not take their chances with a T-Mobile SIM. I just ported to GV from U-Verse Voice myself and trying to port to Tmo did not work for me. The number originated as an AT&T landline number 20+ years ago. Tmo at first said that the number could be ported but the request was denied by AT&T saying that it is a VoIP number and cannot be ported. Apparently when we got U-Verse internet they converted the number to VoIP, as CoalMinerRetired mentions. We then tried the AT&T Go Phone route and that port went without issue. It is just more expensive ($15 for equipment from Walmart + $10 minimum to add minutes) and extra steps which are annoying (have to activate the phone first, then you have to call them to port your number). Also, as has been mentioned, you will need to get the account number to give to Google Voice, which is not the phone number.

[rainking430]

Update to my previous post. One plus when going the Go Phone route is that if you buy it at Walmart they give you 15 days to return it as long as you have the receipt. Worked for me no problem; I was able to return the package no questions asked. So at least you can recoup that $15 but you still lose the $10 you have to spend to add minutes to it, which is roughly what you would spend going the Tmo prepaid SIM route anyway.

[Rick]

Update to my previous post. One plus when going the Go Phone route is that if you buy it at Walmart they give you 15 days to return it as long as you have the receipt. Worked for me no problem; I was able to return the package no questions asked. So at least you can recoup that $15 but you still lose the $10 you have to spend to add minutes to it, which is roughly what you would spend going the Tmo prepaid SIM route anyway.

So you bought it, used it to port, then returned it?  That's pretty inappropriate.

[dircom]

For those who need an inexpensive phone
Best Buy has AT&T Samsung A157 Prepaid GoPhone™ for $4.99 with free shipping or free store pickup

Craigslist, freecycle.org, family or friends are other places one might look to find a temporary cellphone to use.

[naizarak]

Hi guys I'm about to purchase a 100 and have a quick question:

My current landline is basic ATT home-phone service, and I also have a prepaid ATT gophone.  Would be I be ok to port my landline number to the gophone, and then transfer that to GV?  Afterwards, would I be able to restore my original gophone number? 

[dircom]

get a new sim card for your go phone to use temporarily to port.
once the port happens, install your original sim
that way you will not use your original phn #