Number Transfer Issues

Posts: 55 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 55

I had problems transferring my number from Ma Bell to Vonage. Bell abreviates my street name in their records (my bill had the abreviated strret name, I should have used it that way) so when the LOA went to Bell, the records did not match so I had to get Bell to spell out my street name in their records, the the LOA matched, so the transfer is now taking place.

So now I am trying to transfer daughter's number from Bell to Vonage. This time I copied her address as it is listed on her bill. I thought, now I have the system figured out. Well two hours later, it comes back, addresses don't match! What the heck can this be about.

What Bell puts on the bill is what is in their system. That's the way I have it and it still won't go through (yes, Vonage will accept numbers from this Bell company). Who is responsible for making this work - Vonage or Cincinnati Bell? Last time is was a pretty simple change. Calling back Vonage was a nightmare (had to get to executive response team) because no one would ever answer the phone at the number Vonage provides to help resolve these transfer isses.

I'm at a loss now. They match, Vonage just says they don't match. Bell says they match (bill and conversation with Cincinnati Bell).

Any ideas?

Posts: 253 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: May 23, 2006 Posts: 253

yeah right that might sent you in trouble..
did you call Vonage Customer Service Hotline?
please contact them and report immediately this one and ask for assistance.

Posts: 55 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 55

dheiy wrote:

yeah right that might sent you in trouble..
did you call Vonage Customer Service Hotline?
please contact them and report immediately this one and ask for assistance.

Yes, the Vonage Executive Response team was able to fix the issue and hopefully, as scheduled now, the number will port on August 29.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 21, 2006 Posts: 1

I've got another issue related to the Transfer. Though our number got transferred to Vonage, we are still being billing by AT&T. We've called Both Vonage and AT&T and they are both passing the buck. From what AT&T is teling us, Vonage sent the tranfer docs to the wrong Dept., Then when we speak to Conage they tell us they sent the docs and now Vonage is saying WE have to inform AT&T of the PONS number. Which we called AT&T and they need the docs, what was provided to us to go to AT&T With did not help. We spoke to a "Manager" at Vonage and she was worthless. Who can help out with this issue??

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 21, 2006 Posts: 1

Why would you want to still move forward with a group who is too incompetent to do a simple number port? Seriously, it's not as if Vonage is a treasured resource. You think that once you get to the magic candy land they will show you more love than when trying to get you to be a customer? I was once stupid too. Since you are heck bent on moving forward, I'll help you out.

First, number porting is probably the easiest part of telecom. No real technology needed.

Would be provider sends current provider an order with a purchase order number (PON). Your letter of authorization may or may not be attached, but there always has to be a statement that it is at least on file. The days of slamming are behind us so most providers or many have a gentlemen's agreement , which works pretty well. No one wants to be sending any more paperwork back and forth than they have to. The order is what is commonly called a Local Service Request (LSR). I may be tracked down and beaten by the telecom police for giving out the definitions to those secret acronyms.

Industry standard for an number port is ??????? how many days?????. What did Vonage tell you? 20? Oh, my ribs. Try 3 days. Cell phone companies do it in a few hours. Clearly these intervals are under conditions that the information is correct and matches. Yes, a port can be held up because addresses and names on accounts don't match. Sort of makes sense though.

Now, the day of the port (very important) a few things need to happen.

1. The new carrier Vonage has to grab the number from the great telephone number database. Essentially this tells all the other phone companies where to send the traffic to should the number be dialed. If company X is providing the dial tone then the traffic has to be sent to company X's switch or computer. Makes sense?

2. The old provider needs to take the number out of their switch (computer) and tell all the other customer telephone numbers it still has to go to the giant database to find the new home. Often the action is pretty much one in the same.

So, if Vonage did port your number and all your local neighbors are getting disco numbers then a few things may have happened. This will make sense, just hear me out.

If Vonage did not enter your new number in their switch the number traffic has no where to go. You might get a fast busy on this one, if the old provider had take you out of their switch as well.

If your neighbors call and get the disco message and Vonage calls go through then the number probably wasn't actually ported by Vonage. Since your previous carrier would have removed your number from their switch/computer then those calling would get the disco message.

There are a few other variables, but the trouble shooting is fairly easy. Some very rare wild card come into play that might affect maybe one in every 500 activations.

There is no mystery involved here.

For the guy coming from AT&T, it sounds like Vonage took the number without receiving an FOC for their LSR. FOC is Firm Order Confirmation - a handshake advising we received your LSR and it looks good. If anything will prevent the port we'll let you know but move forward. Are you shocked?

How can Vonage be so incompetent? I recommend you going to www.csft.org/vonage.aspx and check out what they have to say. I too was going to go with Vonage until all the troubles and then realized after reviewing the before mentioned site that if the company doesn't have leadership then why would I think anything would get any better? Again, to each their own.

Good luck. Do remember that from this moment forward your actions are not without full awareness of Vonage's lack of leadership. You're expecting the same people who crated the train wreck to fix the issue? None of the issues are technical in nature. This is all about a lack of even the most basic of leadership.

Posts: 37 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jul 12, 2006 Posts: 37

Karimn wrote:

I've got another issue related to the Transfer. Though our number got transferred to Vonage, we are still being billing by AT&T. We've called Both Vonage and AT&T and they are both passing the buck. From what AT&T is teling us, Vonage sent the tranfer docs to the wrong Dept., Then when we speak to Conage they tell us they sent the docs and now Vonage is saying WE have to inform AT&T of the PONS number. Which we called AT&T and they need the docs, what was provided to us to go to AT&T With did not help. We spoke to a "Manager" at Vonage and she was worthless. Who can help out with this issue??

If Vonage has your #, then just cancel your account with AT&T.