Almost 4 months and No Transfer

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 12, 2004 Posts: 1

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting a phone transfer completed from Verizon-PA to Vonage? I've done everything I've seen others do in this forum in other threads and still no transfer. I'm an attorney and I'm now researching the possibility of a lawsuit (class action perhaps) against Vonage or the companies they use for these transfers. I've lost clients and business in reliance of their "phone transfer" advertising (Which is the only reason I went with them.) I now have an empty office in PA with a phone and an answering machine. I'm still paying rent there solely because of the Vonage delay in phone transfer. I'd like to hear from other that may be having as bad a problem as I've had; almost 4 months and counting. (Since July 21, 2004.).

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2004 5:20 pm Post subject:

Email: numbertransfer@vonage.com
Toll Free Phone: 866-496-6359
Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm, EST

not sure if you have this yet. Also, ask them what the status is on the spreadsheet (apparently there's a big spreadsheet with all numbers in xfer and their status on it)

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2004 5:33 pm Post subject:

I also found out (from that number) that www.xo.com is who Vonage uses for LNP. Haven't tried contacting them yet, but it's worth a shot.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 12, 2004 Posts: 6

In addition to that problem, ATT just informed me that if I should later want to re-transfer my number back to a "regular" phone company, that would not be done as they are not required to do so -- perhaps from verizon to att, but not someone "like a Vonage"

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 12, 2004 Posts: 16

And I've only been trying for a month. I tried calling Vonage tonight was put on hold for about 15 minutes then was cutoff. The FCC website is back up Monday. Maybe it's time to pay them a visit.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 1

For us, and we live in PA, the wait for the line transfer was close to five months.

If we look on our 'Status of Line Transfer' page, the first date is May 11 - Waiting for Letter of Authorization. I sent it, but Vonage lost it, and it wasn't until June 28 that Vonage indicates that the letter was received, and the transfer request is sent to carrier.

After June 28, nothing but silence and the sound of my own voice. Our number transfer finally occurred on October 29, and probably would not have if not for my having made a habit of emailing numbertransfer@vonage.com every week.

One thing you should know, you should not be paying for any Vonage service so long as they are holding up your number transfer. Call customer service and demand a monthly credit. Even though it took them five months to transfer us, we did not pay for any of the Vonage service during that time. Unfortunately, we did pay five months' worth of Verizon bills that we should not have had.

As for your lost business, I'm not sure what to say. As a former attorney myself, I certainly understand your phone needs. But, and pardon me if you did and have not mentioned it, why didn't you just set your Verizon line to auto-forward to your temporary Vonage number?

Derek
http://www.threateningletters.com

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 19, 2004 Posts: 1

I get promises it will be soon for LNP, but no action. I like the idea of a class action, and I intend to petition the FCC to adopt some regulations over Voip.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 09, 2005 Posts: 1

Let me tell you my story.....
We began transfer of our business phone in July. After several attempts to get them to accept the Letter of Authorization, which took so long we had to pay Verizon for another 2 months,(they kept saying the name on the accounts weren't the same, but they WERE) we finally got the word that the Letter of Authorization was accepted and transfer was on the way. Transfer finally happened on September 27, 2004. We had been paying Vonage since July, but all was well now, the number was transferred, and we were using the number at our office without any problems. Then, we discovered that Verizon was still billing us. So, we called them, and they said the order to transfer had been cancelled, but they didn't KNOW who cancelled it. They said to call Vonage and find out. So we did, and Vonage said they never cancelled it and that they were in possession of the number. They said call Verizon and tell them to credit your account. OK. So we call Verizon, and they say they can't help us because they have possession of the number and so we owe them for the bills. Although there were a few times we called and were told that if we aren't their customer why are they calling them? And, it gets better. We discovered not long after that although we could call out from this number, we weren't getting calls in, because it said it was disconnected when you dialed it. Now, this wasn't happening before, we were getting plenty of calls before we called to inquire as to why we were being billed. So we were on the phone again. And again. And again, well you can imagine. Still nothing is fixed. My customers can't call me, nobody will help me. I am losing business daily. All of my customers think we closed. We are thinking of suing both companies. What do you think? By the way, we have emails upon emails from Vonage, some of which claim the problem was fixed when in fact it was not. Hows that for a story?

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 27, 2005 Posts: 1

I laugh at your paltry four or five months of pain. Lol

It took Vonage 5 months to get the line transfer submitted and scheduled (May 2004 to Nov 2004). Once the request went through it was incomplete so verizon did not release my line completely. I now receive calls both on my Vonage line and my Verizon line for the same home number.

All this took place while my wife was pregnant and on bed rest with complications.

Now, Verizon has disconnected my service because we haven't been paying for the post-transfer service. None of my neighbors can call me.

The number for the Corporate office is 732-528-2600.

Posts: 78

Write and call your Public Utilities Commission.

Much of the delay with number transfer isn't the fault of Vonage, it's the fault of your local incumbent carrier. In my case, Verizon wanted to drag their feet and because Vonage is unregulated by the FCC they could.

In my case, the PUC took a dim view of Verizon's activities. I also told Verizon that if they didn't release my number I would file suit against them for costs incurred.

If they can transfer a number from a land line to a cell phone in 48 hours they sure as hell can transfer a land line to a land line. They all use the same database dips to find out where to route a call.

My argument btw is that Vonage uses FCC regulated switches to haul you onto the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The carriers they use are Paetec and Focal both of which are FCC regulated.

The circuit switched phone companies are bleeding red ink because they're losing customers that are sick of being nickle and dimed to death. I always said that they stuck to the damned tariff for far too long, to their ultimate detriment.

There will come a day when circuit switched carriers are looked upon as a novelty.