With apologies to Steely Dan, the danger of losing that number you got through your VoIP provider-or worse: ported to your VoIP provider from somewhere else-is very real, as Andy Abramson points out.
My experience with most of these VoIP providers, however, is not so great. If they support number portability, they will often let you port a number in and, possibly, port your number back out again. However, whatever they give you is usually not portable. That's not such a great thing for financially troubled companies like Vonage and the recently deceased SunRocket.
This is one of the reasons, like Andy, my phone numbers are with companies that will be around a while. My mobile phone with AT&T, which last I checked, isn't going anywhere anytime soon. My "business number" is with GrandCentral, which is now a much safer bet with Google being their sugar daddy. And even though I am about to move, I have no reason to change either number: they'll move with me.
There are reports that suggest that since the VoIP providers themselves don't own the number, but the wholesaler they use do, it may be possible to port your number somewhere else by providing proof that number is yours (e.g. print out a bill and give it to the new provider). GigaOm suggests
running, not walking to the nearest wireless carrier store and porting your number right away. Why? Because wireless carriers deal with number ports on a much more expedited basis. In this particular case, time is of the essence.
Has anyone managed to port their VoIP provider-supplied telephone number out? Anyone have any other tips for dealing with this situation? Leave your thoughts and/or experiences in the comments.
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Shouldn’t we ensure that GrandCentral itself subscribes to number portability, whether or not Google is the sugar daddy. After all Google can repurpose GC to some other application and discontinue the service you are subscribing to?
So plainly the question is will GrandCentral port your number out if you happen to decide not to continue their service?
I am getting ready to do this and have been searching many of forums to see if it is possible. At this point it seems to be a 50/50 shot. I am going to go from a Vonage softphone number to T-Mobile. I am taking over an account so I am waiting for the phone before trying to switch, I will let you know.
The transfer did work. My Vonage number transferred over to my T-Mobile account today, about a week after I initiated the transfer. I did call both carriers to follow up. The only issue was when I called Vonage about the transfer, the customer rep told me that they had tried to call me twice to contact me about the transfer. If they did call they did not leave a message. The CR gave me a acct manager number to call, when I did call him he had nothing to say about the transfer, instead he wanted to talk about an issue I had with the sofphone a few months back. Other than that it was painless.
That’s great news, Eric. Keep the feedback coming…
I successfully ported a number from Vonage to ATT Callvantage (which I hate, by the way) Vonage and Callvantage don’t have port agreements, so I had to get an ATT POTS line and then set up Callvantage as soon as the port was complete. My advice is to NOT tell them what you are up to, because it will blow their minds and cause you to explain something that does not really concern them. Just set up the line, thankyouverymuch!
Ouch, getting a PSTN line just for porting–seems painful. Wireless seems to be a better choice if you ask me.
36 I am grateful to the webmaster
Wireless is definitely the better chhoice.
http://www.voippricing.com
Wireless is definitely the better chhoice.
I like Vonage. i have never had an issue with it.
I agree they are good.
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