Number porting to GV - my experience

[valley_nomad]

Trying to port my landline number from RCN VOIP to GV. Got T-Mobile Sim card, activated the pay-as-you-go account and requested the transfer almost one week ago. Just found out today that T-mobile cancelled my transfer request for no reason. Restarted the request again. But was told that the transfer now may take up to 7 days to complete because it is a landline number  

[RMVA]

I ported my home number from Phonepower VOIP -> T-Mobile prepaid -> GV.

Day  1  : Ordered T-Mobile SIM Activation kit
Day  2  : Kit was shipped
Day  6  : Kit received
             Activated online. Chose to port number during activation, skipped 'temporary #'.
Day  7  : Got call from T-Mobile LNP dept to confirm details.
Day 12 : Porting to t-mobile complete in morning
            Entered GV port order in evening
            Got "Incorrect PIN error"
            There's no form to update request
Day 13 : Checked porting status page updated with "form" enter PIN, Updated request
Day 14 : Porting to GV completed today.

[Rick]

I ported my home number from Phonepower VOIP -> T-Mobile prepaid -> GV.

Day  1  : Ordered T-Mobile SIM Activation kit
Day  2  : Kit was shipped
Day  6  : Kit received
             Activated online. Chose to port number during activation, skipped 'temporary #'.
Day  7  : Got call from T-Mobile LNP dept to confirm details.
Day 12 : Porting to t-mobile complete in morning
            Entered GV port order in evening
            Got "Incorrect PIN error"
            There's no form to update request
Day 13 : Checked porting status page updated with "form" enter PIN, Updated request
Day 14 : Porting to GV completed today.

People normally don't include the shipment of the SIM card in the porting timeline. 

Your porting took 5 days to get to T-Mobile, then 24 hours to Google Voice (once you provided the PIN).  That's entirely normal.

[soundview]

I am getting the dreaded "Error Code: Your phone number's carrier has rejected your port request. Please contact your carrier to proceed with this port." message from GV!

At this time, the official Obi tutorial is outdated. When you initiate a GV port request, it never asks for the 4 digit pin during the initial process. This guarantees you will get rejected on your first try. So after seeing the first rejection, you now get to enter your 4 digit pin.  But wait, there's more!  GV also asks for the last 4 digits of your SS# - WTF? I have no stinkin SS# on my cheap prepaid but they want it in order to proceed.

After an hour of searching online, I think you are supposed to enter the same 4 digits as your pin. (ie. if your PIN is 1234, you put in 1234 as the last 4 digits of your SS#).  Simple yes? NO ... I'm stuck on the error code at the top of this post. Anyone, please correct me if you have better info.

I called T-mobile and they were nice but no help. Nothing wrong here, you need to talk to your new carrier. But they said to contact you!

I tried cancelling the port and retrying. Still no joy. So what should I do - start over with a new SIM and T-mobile account like someone earlier did and reported success?

Sorry for the rant but I wanted to call attention to the flaws in the current GV porting process.

[Rick]

Did you try the last 4 of your SSN?

[soundview]

  I did indeed and it does not work. Not surprising because when you activate a T-mobile prepaid account, you are never asked for your SS#.

Update to previous post:  The T-mobile account number for prepaid is 1 plus your phone number. Thus if your phone number is 345-678-9000, your account number is 13456789000. If this is incorrect, please let me know!!

[CoalMinerRetired]

At this time, the official Obi tutorial is outdated. When you initiate a GV port request, it never asks for the 4 digit pin during the initial process. This guarantees you will get rejected on your first try. So after seeing the first rejection, you now get to enter your 4 digit pin.  But wait, there's more!  GV also asks for the last 4 digits of your SS# - WTF? I have no stinking SS# on my cheap prepaid but they want it in order to proceed.

I'm not so sure that is correct (bolded part). You get different screens and GV asks for different things based on what carrier you are porting from. For example, porting from T-Mob prepaid it never prompts for your pin, but it does come back a few screens later in the process and say "error, wrong pin/no pin, please provide it here...".  This are my observations based on four ports in the past few months, two of my own (both T-Mob), two from the neighbors, one of which was from T-Mob.

[soundview]

As CMR pointed out, YMMV. My experience is from two GV port attempts in the past week from prepaid T-mobile. I never saw an error screen for wrong pin / no pin - I use chrome as my browser FWIW. Is it possible I somehow missed the screen?

First indication there is a problem is when clicking the port status link on the google voice home page. If it were not for that link, I would never know there was an error with my GV port.

I am off to activate a new SIM and start over which seems to have worked for prflat. I'll report back here the results.

[soundview]

  Following prflat's previously posted advice, I activated new prepaid sim card and created new T-mobile account. When I called to do a T-mob to T-mob number transfer, I'm told they cannot transfer the phone number associated with my first sim card to the new account on the new sim card until it has been active for 30 days since it is brand new. Even if I had the patience to wait that long, there is not guarantee that the GV port will work from the new account.

So ... I guess I'm stuck having to use a real VOIP provider if I want to keep my old phone number or leaving my old number on a cell for 30+ days ... 

I do envy you who had a smooth GV porting experience!

[soundview]

  SUCCESS!!

Being an OCD geek, I kept hammering away at resending my PIN/SSN 2,3,4 times an hour. Then in the chill morning darkness at 5:30 am, I reached for my iPad, reentered my info and to my utter surprise the error rejection message didn't appear. I reloaded the status page and sure enough the rejection message was gone. I breathlessly waited for 24 hours for the port to take place not daring to peek at the status (OK, I peeked) .... only it didn't.  GV underwent a widespread technical problem which stalled all port in requests. Another tortuous 32 hours later on the GV support forum, my port was successful.

As I toss all my scribbled notes, SIM cards and other material, here is what you need to know to port from T-mobile prepaid to GV.

• Before you even think of doing this, you must be technical and persistent enough to handle things if the *bleep* hits the fan. Be prepared to handle a lot of hassle. If this isn't you, use a paid service instead.
  
• Get your $0.99 SIM cards (order 2 just in case), unlocked GSM phone and make sure they are charged and ready to go. I got a cheapie on ebay for $15.
  
• 
  Start your port when your phone number can be out of action for at least a week or more. Tell your spouse the phone will be temporarily on a cell phone. Get a nice gift for her/him and put it aside for when you may need it.
  
• 
  Your T-Mobile account number is 1 plus your phone number
  
• 
  Make sure you keep clicking the status link on your GV home page. If you see an error, resubmit your info and try again. Keep at it for minutes, hours, days. Think video game.
  
• 
  Enter your 4 digit PIN in both PIN and SSN fields on the GV status form.
  
• 
  If things go south, get on the GV forum and track down _mattman_ who is the only one who knows what's going on. Give the nice gift to your spouse and prepare for hell.
  

Since ultimately I don't know what made the rejection error go away, I also did the following. Called T-Mobile and had them fill in my full name and address on the billing account for my prepaid. Changed my PIN number from the initial one during activation to a new one. Neither of those things fixed the problem and my gut tells me it was only my persistent clicking that finally broke through. FWIW, I started on Friday, canceled and resubmitted on Saturday and it was early Monday morning when I finally got an error free retry. Good luck and peace out.

[BrianH-MN]

I successfully ported my number from Vonage to Google Voice using a T-Mobile prepaid SIM card in just a few days without any major problems.

Here are the steps that I followed:

Friday 3:00 PM: Started the process online with the information that I found in the prepaid T-Mobile SIM Activation Kit

Tuesday 3:00 PM: Received a text message to say the number porting was complete and the T-Mobile account was all setup.

Tuesday 3:30 PM: I used the Google Voice website to begin the porting process by entering all of the requested information. A few minutes later, I checked the port status on the Google site and it indicated an error with the PIN. I checked my email and found a message with a link to correct the problem and try again.

Before continuing, I followed these steps to create a PIN for my T-Mobile account.

1. Use your phone to call 611.
2. Say manage my account.
3. Create bill account PIN.
4. Enter 4 digit for your PIN.
5. Verify your PIN.

After that was completed, I followed the link in the email and started the number porting process again using my newly created PIN without any issues.

Wednesday 3:20 PM: I received an email to say the number porting was complete and everything is working as expected. 

Overall, the process was straightforward and the information that I found in this forum was a great help.

Thanks everyone!

[yakov]

I successfully ported my number from AT&T land line to Google Voice using a T-Mobile prepaid SIM card in just a few days without any major problems.

DAY 1 (Wednesday) evening: Started the transfer to T-Mobile at the time of activation of the prepaid T-Mobile SIM card (bypassing the temporary number). I used my existing T-Mobile locked (subsidized, on a non-expired contract) phone, so for the next several days I was swapping between my "main" and this "prepaid" SIM cards.

DAY 3 (Friday) evening: Got a text message on T-Mobile "Your number has been transferred". But T-Mobile handset doesn't ring yet on incoming calls. Google says can't port from my provider. A check at https://www.wirelessamberalerts.org/index.jsp shows the number is NOT a T-Mobile one yet.

DAY 4 (Saturday) morning: T-mobile phone rings on incoming calls. A check at https://www.wirelessamberalerts.org/index.jsp shows the number is recognized as a T-Mobile one. Google says OK to port.

Before continuing, I followed these steps to create a PIN for my T-Mobile account.
1. Use your phone to call 611.
2. Say manage my account.
3. Create bill account PIN.
4. Enter 4 digit for your PIN. (I inputted the same PIN that I created at the SIM activation time).
5. Verify your PIN.

Immediately started porting to a fresh new Google voice account. GV never asked me about my T-Mobile PIN or last 4 SSN.

Immediately received an email "Oops! Issue with your Google Voice Number Porting Request", GV says "Error Code: Password/PIN required or incorrect(Prepaid PIN required)".  I enter my T-Mobile PIN and my REAL last 4 SSN (did NOT input the T-Mobile PIN in both fields).

DAY 5 (Sunday) morning: I received an email to say the number porting was complete and everything is working as expected.

Overall, the process was straightforward and the information that I found in this forum was a great help.

Thanks everyone!

[CoalMinerRetired]

Nice summary. Your experience is the norm, including the GV error message "Password/PIN required or incorrect blah blah blah" when going from T-Mobile.

Can you elaborate on the point copied below, please? How did you bypass having to initialize a new SIM card with a temporary number?  I read in several places, and understood from two landline to T-Mobile ports I did, T-mobile did not allow that very practice. 

The process when I ported was initialize with temporary number, then you must call a T-Mob customer service number to begin a port, there was no way to do that online. Maybe it's changed, which will be nice to know for future use.

DAY 1 (Wednesday) evening: Started the transfer to T-Mobile at the time of activation of the prepaid T-Mobile SIM card (bypassing the temporary number).
.
.
.

[frg3]

Can you elaborate on the point copied below, please? How did you bypass having to initialize a new SIM card with a temporary number?  I read in several places, and understood from two landline to T-Mobile ports I did, T-mobile did not allow that very practice. 

I did the same (bypass temporary number). After inputting imei, sim, and activation code on the second page where you fill out your area code, t-mobile pin code etc. it gives you the option to get a new number or transfer (then lists account number attached to number).
My experience this week:
number 1:
1. Sun 12pm, activate online and request port online
2. Tues 10 am, receive text from t-mobile 'transfer complete'
3. Tues 11 am, Called 611 and changed pin, started google port
4. Wed 11 am, google port done, works with obi100
number 2:
1.Wed 11:15 am, activate online and request port online
2. Thurs 12:30 am, receive text from t-mobile 'transfer complete'
3. Thurs 9:30 am, left pin the same (thought since i requested online for transfer, there is no need to change/confirm a new pin) and started google port. Got pin code error and entered pin that i signed up with and now it says 'port in process.'
4. Be done tomorrow at 9:30 am
   

[rdhoss]

After 2 weeks of struggling to get my AT&T UVerse number ported to T-Mobile Pre-Paid, I'm now stuck trying to port to GV.

No matter what, GV returns this message:
Error Code: Your phone number's carrier has rejected your port request. Please contact your carrier to proceed with this port. (Updating user information)

I've contacted T-Mobile multiple times, and they've advised me that the number is ready to be ported.

Anybody else get this error message from GV? Any ideas?

Thanks!
Ron

[rdhoss]

Hey prflat,

I just want to confirm. After your first attempt to port a T-Mobile prepaid number to Google Voice, you were getting this message:

Your request to port (xxx) xxx-xxxx to Google Voice has encountered an error.
Error Code: Your phone number's carrier has rejected your port request. Please contact your carrier to proceed with this port. (Updating user information)

And, I suspect no matter what you put in the PIN and last 4 SSN fields, it would just keep coming back with that error.

I too am getting this error, and T-Mobile keeps saying everything is good to go to port out, but I just can't get it to work.

So, essentially, you ported your prepaid T-Mobile number to another, new prepaid T-Mobile SIM and then the GV port worked?

I guess this will be my next step.

Thanks,
Ron

[billdz]

Hi folks,

I am trying to transfer a home phone that is now on AT&T Uverse to Google Voice.  Yesterday (Saturday), I bought the T-Mobile $.99 SIM card, and activated it online, asking that my number be ported from Uverse.  Shortly thereafter, I got an email from T-Mobile that my account had been activated and my number would be ported within 24 hours.  But today (Sunday), I got a call from T-Mobile (I missed the call but they left me a voice mail) stating that AT&T would not port the number because it was bundled with my Uverse internet, so T-Mobile was cancelling my port order.  They said I needed to call AT&T (gave me a number with a 214 area code) and have my number ported from Uverse to a traditional phone line, and then after that was completed I should call back T-Mobile and make a new order for the port.  I called the 214 number and got a message to call back during regular business hours.

Anyone else had a similar experience?  Can AT&T do this? Any tips on how to handle this?  I do not want to lose my Uverse internet service.

Thanks,
b 

[Bogi]

Just gonna chime in with my relatively smooth experience.

AT&T just increased they're prices so I decided to move my parents over to the Obi.  I purchased an Obi110 and Obi202 and two t-mobile sim cards (planning on switching someone else over if my parents Obi work well).  I had an old AT&T cell phone lying around so I bought an unlock code and used it to do the initial port of the landline over to T-Mobile. 

Day 1 Tue Jan 22 Activated T-Mo Sim card and requested port of landline
Day 3 Thu Jan 24 Port partially completed could place calls out but incoming calls still going to landline
Day 4 Fri   Jan 25 Port fully complete, place Google Voice port request @ 9AM (initially Google didn't ask for pin, but then received email saying i needed to supply my pin).  I thought I had setup a pin during the initial activation but I didn't so the first pin I gave to Google failed.  I called 611 to talk to a customer support rep and the system asked me to setup a pin.  I then entered the new pin to Google and it went through.
Day 5 Sat Jan 26  8AM Google voice port completed.

I then spent 4 hours trying to setup the Obi202 to work with google voice.  Couldn't get it to work.  I kept getting the "backing off" error.  I then took out the Obi110 I bought and that worked right away.  I plan on trying the Obi202 with another account later this week to see if I can get it to work.  But it may be a bug in their recent firmware that just came out on the 24th.  Someone else posted that they were also having issues with their Obi202 and Google voice after the update. 

[billdz]

"I got a call from T-Mobile (I missed the call but they left me a voice mail) stating that AT&T would not port the number because it was bundled with my Uverse internet, so T-Mobile was cancelling my port order."

Just to finish my story, today (monday) I called AT&T and they said the problem was that I had received a discount for my bundled phone and internet (Elite) service, thus $55 for phone and internet.  She said I could port but the price for just the internet would be $43 a month.  I said I wanted to do the port anyway and she offered to lower my monthly price for one year to $44 for both phone and internet for a year (downgrading my phone service from unlimited free to 250 minutes free).  I decided to take that deal instead of porting my phone, because at this time the port would only save me $1 a month and I'd lose 911.

[MikeHObi]

I decided to take that deal instead of porting my phone, because at this time the port would only save me $1 a month and I'd lose 911.

Well, if you want, you can still use an Obi 110.  Just get a GV number and you can either forward your cable line to the GV number or have them both.  Use the GV number for outgoing calls and the cable number for 911.

But check your bill.  usually taxes and fees add on more for phone service than their base price and you may not have included those in your price comparison.

And you can get E911 with your obi if you get an account with a sip provider, which is available from a few for less than $2 per month.