porting number: to be clear

[Redw00d]

see if I have this right: so, I have att Land line, had for 45 years... time to leave... cell/mobil phones DO NOT work at my house... ok, so, I have to buy, a Tmobil phone, and Tmobil sim card. correct? ok, do I Also need to buy a PLAN, ie" minutes, etc? in order to get my # ported over to my google/obi... and, will I have to drive to town, to call and verifiy to Google?, or, can this be done with wifi? my Obi has been working for Years... that should be setup/fine... also, if/when I do PORT my number From att.. will that End my business with them? What # would be assigned to old att?  thank you so much for help, I have been very happy with my Obi over the years... time to turn att loose... hope my questions are Clear. I have read the instructins, over and over, so, I hope this will be easy.

[SteveInWA]

Sort-of.

Google Voice only accepts ports in from mobile carriers.  You would have to first port the landline number to a mobile carrier, wait a full week, then port it to Google Voice.

Yes, you need a mobile phone, into which you will insert the SIM from a mobile carrier, port the number to that carrier, wait and ensure that you can now make and receive telephone calls, and that you can send and receive text messages.  No, it doesn't have to be T-Mobile.  Since the very old instructions were written, the "big three" US mobile carriers have mostly stopped selling prepaid monthly minutes plans.  You'll have to use some re-seller (MVNO) service provider as the temporary mobile landing spot.  The various America Moivil companies (Tracfone, Net10, Straight Talk, PagePlus, etc) would work, but they typically require you to stay a month before you can port out.  Some of the independent MVNOs like Red Pocket or Ultra Mobile/Mint Mobile might work. Do your own research.

[Redw00d]

ok, I'm "doing research" and, I find This: "The number you submit must be from one of the "big four" mobile carriers (AT&T Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless) or one of their subsidiary or re-seller brands, or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T,

again: " or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T," from This website: https://support.google.com/voice/thread/61435339?hl=en

so, may I ask, has anybody, ported a landline number, successfully, lately? seems the info might be Dated.... I want to make this, simple, and easy... thank you for any helpful replies

[SteveInWA]

ok, I'm "doing research" and, I find This: "The number you submit must be from one of the "big four" mobile carriers (AT&T Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless) or one of their subsidiary or re-seller brands, or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T,

again: " or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T," from This website: https://support.google.com/voice/thread/61435339?hl=en

so, may I ask, has anybody, ported a landline number, successfully, lately? seems the info might be Dated.... I want to make this, simple, and easy... thank you for any helpful replies

I am "Bluescat", one of the Product Experts on the Google Voice Forum.  I wrote that.  It is accurate.  The only thing that has changed since I wrote it, is that the "big four", now "big three" mobile carriers have mostly left the prepaid market, so it's no longer inexpensive to use them as the intermediary.  I used to recommend using those direct carriers because they had the best landline number porting skills, but since it's now a moot point, use whatever mobile carrier or re-seller (MVNO) you wish.  That said, stay away from H2O and Lycamobile; they're bottom-feeders with no skill whatsoever in landline porting.

[Redw00d]

thank you So much for your help... I seem to be knuckle-headed or Missing something, is This correct?
"or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T,"  .... those words seem to say, that I CAN port my Existing att landline, over to google voice... How am I missing something here? google site says it Can't port my number, Thanks so much for your help... dealing with This, and other stuff in the middle of a pandemic isn't going well, I am, Reading... thanks
this is the msg I get: "Ooops! We currently don't support porting from your carrier. We apologize and are working on adding support for more carriers."

[Taoman]

I seem to be knuckle-headed or Missing something, is This correct?
"or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T,"  .... those words seem to say, that I CAN port my Existing att landline, over to google voice... How am I missing something here?

The link you posted is not about porting in a number. It is about obtaining a Google Voice number in the first place. When requesting a GV number you must submit a valid forwarding number that can either be a cell phone number (from one of the big four) "or from a traditional land line carrier such as AT&T." So that sentence has nothing to do with porting a number into GV. It's about providing a valid forwarding number.

google site says it Can't port my number,
this is the msg I get: "Ooops! We currently don't support porting from your carrier. We apologize and are working on adding support for more carriers."

If that's the message you are receiving when entering your landline number then that's a good sign. It means your number is able to be ported into Google Voice. The error message is only because you entered a landline number. You must port from a mobile carrier but at least your number is in a telephone exchange that GV has a presence in.
As an example, you could port your number to PagePlus for $10 plus the cost of a SIM card. You could then port your number from PagePlus to Google Voice. Any way you slice it, you can only port a number to Google Voice from a cell carrier.

[Redw00d]

ahhhhh, so, I MISread that... thank your for clearing this up... and thanks for the tip for pageplus. I will look into this, thanks for the clairity... (so, I"m gonna need a cell phone for pageplus, correct?)

[Redw00d]

well, NONE of the old phones I have will pass the IMEI test for either PagePlus or T-mobil... I wonder, has ANYBODY ported a landline, to a temp cell phone, then onto google voice, lately? this Can't be as difficult as its turning out to be. any USERS who have had luck? recently? I know, Once I get my Obi configgered, I won't be here bothering anybody... buying 'phones' on amazon looks  dicey, ebay, I won't even Look... I do have a Pile of old Tracphones...thanks, hopefully someone can help. 

"you could port your number to PagePlus for $10 plus the cost of a SIM card. You could then port your number from PagePlus to Google Voice." well, just called PagePlus, was told, they can NOT port a landline... sigh... this is a mess...

[Taoman]

well, just called PagePlus, was told, they can NOT port a landline... sigh... this is a mess...

I believe you got faulty info from PP support. Over the years I've ported 3 landline numbers to PagePlus. Read the PagePlus porting page. And just the idea that a cell carrier/mvno couldn't port in a landline number is ..........unlikely.

https://www.pagepluscellular.com/porting/

Porting Details
From a Wire Line (Landline) Provider: Most port requests from wire line providers (e.g. landline, cable and VOIP companies) take five to ten business days, but can take up to forty-five business days. Port requests from wire line providers may take longer than their wireless counterparts because wire line companies must go through third party account verifications and schedule a disconnect before the number can be transferred. Please allow up to one week before contacting Customer Service to check the status of your port.

I am not necessarily recommending PP. I'm just familiar with them and have used them in the past to successfully port numbers. But if you don't have an old phone you can use then PP may be a more expensive route to go. If possible, I would use whatever carrier supports the cell phone(s) you have available to you.

[SteveInWA]

And just the idea that a cell carrier/mvno couldn't port in a landline number is ..........unlikely.

Actually, several MVNOs won't port in landlines.  The one that comes to mind is Cricket.  Aside from that, some MVNOs have such terrible staff/skills, that they don't know how to port in landlines, and it turns into a goat rodeo.

So, I say, pick one and good luck.  And, if all you have are phones locked to Tracfone, use them, but make sure that you can turn around and port out without waiting a month.

[Redw00d]

thank you guys for 'hanging in with me' ...  thank you Taoman, I read your link. I am asking my kids for help, they live in cities, always using cell phones.  So, on TOP of me needing to find a cell service to temp move my line, I get this from Google "  It is mandatory that you have working, paid mobile phone service on the number you wish to port.  You must be able to answer the verification phone call.  This is a fraud prevention measure and it cannot be bypassed."
you see, cells don't Work at my house... so, I can't answer they verification call... I am hoping maybe I can get it on wifi.  COST isn't the problem... I expect a cost... but, geesh, the roadblocks... so, can you think of ANY reason, having another person DO this for me would be a problem? I DO have a working google number (I kinda remember I got a callback to my landline way back when)   I would OFFER to pay somene, but, I don't wanna get Banned here.... I'm Hoping, by end of today, I will have an answer... the Time, isn't a problem, I understand... right now, att repair man was Supposed to come on monday... wed morning, no show , no call, nothing, thanks att, in the middle of a pandemic... Fed ex, was supposed to deliver medicine to my dying dog... lost, had to reorder, Hope it comes today... poor guy...  anyway, Obihai has been good to me, for Years... so, I have faith... thanks for all your help and suggestions!

[SteveInWA]

This is the second time you quoted one of my posts on the Google Voice forum.  Why do you keep trying to debate the rules?  The rules are the rules.  If you can't live with those rules, then don't use Google Voice.  Port your number into a SIP VoIP Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) like Callcentric or voip.ms.  Both will port in land line numbers directly.

[Redw00d]

I'm sorry if it seems I'm trying to debate the rules... I'm not, I"m just trying to get this done... I will now look at your new suggestions... I do appriciate the help, when I'm done, I'm sure you won't hear from me again for months or years... I'm NOT a programmer, or anything near that, but, I am very proud that I have been able to setup my Obihai and many other computer/tv stuff I have done. just ONE question, Steve, do you see any problem or anything wrong, if I have my kids get a phone, port my # for me, since they do receive cell service and can get the confirmation? man, I'm trying really hard to be nice and ask appropriate questions... sorry if I quoted improperly... thanks for your help

[Redw00d]

wow Steve... I think I'm getting somewhere... Thanks so much!

[Redw00d]

Thank You Steve, and God bless


New Porting - Completed
Thank you for your submission. Everytime we'll have an update available regarding the porting of your number(s), you will receive them by email. You can also follow the progress via the customer portal by clicking on "Details" in the LNP Main Page.

[Redw00d]

hey Steve, thanks again, hope its OK to post this...

Status for your port has been updated to the following:

New Status: FOC Received
FOC Date: 2020-08-06 (yyyy-mm-dd)
Description: Your port will likely complete on this date. Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) is the finalized date for your number to be transferred. The carrier that is releasing the number issues this date. We will email you again regarding the completion of your number.

Updated by Brian on 2020-07-30 at 12:25:25
If you have questions or you wish to provide additional information to the porting department, you may reply to this email or write to ports@voip.ms

[Redw00d]

THANK YOU STEVE!!!!!
today, my number was ported to voip.ms ... I have been Released from the grip of att/ma-bell that I have paid monthly for over 40 years...btw, NObody ever came out to fix my phone after I had made an appointment... anyway, thanks Steve...have a great weekend, and, Rest Up... I will be coming at you with More questions not too long from now....

[karog]

Redw00d, please continue to report on your results porting from voip.ms to google voice. Thanks.

[Lavarock7]

I have ported a few numbers into Voip.Ms and that is my suggestion. They seem responsive and the porting status is passed along. Their ports are free.

I like them enough that I don't really bother with GoogleVoice anymore. Yes, GV is free but also a hassle. Search here and read the problems. Many/most issues are with GV itself, getting Voice Mail working the way people want or the difficult porting isses that can come up with landline/cellphone ports. Add to that that GV has no customer service to speak of.

Yes, I use GV but I don't recommend it anymore except for a few cases.

[Redw00d]

Redw00d, please continue to report on your results porting from voip.ms to google voice. Thanks.

voip.ms ported my att/landline without problems... I paid $15 to start an account. I did get the inital email telling me it had started... I  did not ever get an email when it ported, I just figgered it out myself. It seems, I did not totally Understand the advise I was given... I am NOT able to port this number From voip.ms to google voice, as has been my ONLY desire... my obihai with google voice works, ALL I wanted, was to keep my old phone number... after another load of emails... well, the same mods here, reply for google voice, and, lets say, I try very hard to be Clear, perhaps, I"m not. A very CLEAR FAQ would prolly help. I'm not trying to break or change any rules, I have been accused of things. I am trying to keep it civil. Perhaps, during these trying times, people who are in charge of giving advise might need to be alittle more understanding.  att left me without a phone in a pandemic, obihai and google have been Solid, and I often recommend them in online forums. All I wanted, was a way to Keep my phone number, thats all... good luck to you with voip.ms