Vonage gave us "NEW" number that is someone else's

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: May 22, 2007 Posts: 2

Just found out that the new phone number we requested is actually owned by someone else. This is a business number that we requested, and was assigned back in Nov of 06. We've been paying for it since then, but since it's a start up and our product has just come out we haven't used it. But, we have printed that phone number on almost $100,000 worth of products, brochures, etc.

We have currently spent the last few hours being transferred back and forth to different departments, none of which can seem to give us any type of answer on what happened. And gee, they have generously offered us a one month credit for the issue.... Wowza!

Based on a basic search, I do see this has happened to others. Anyone have ideas on what my options would be in dealing with them or who I can contact for help. I'm wondering if the FCC or anyone can help us.

Thanks.

Posts: 208 · Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 10:01 am Post subject:

Here's probably what happened - I've had relatives have this issue with other Voip providers.

Basically, your number is just a string of digits inside a computer database. If you're calling from Vonage to Vonage, it's fine because the calls reference their own database first before checking landlines.

If the number is transferred out, to say, BellSouth, the number is still in the Vonage database and needs to get removed. Sometimes, when customers transfer numbers out, they don't tell the representative and the action isn't taken to remove the number from the database.

After a certain period of time that the number is idle, it's recycled and redistributed to other customers (because there's a finite number of numbers out there)

That's how you ended up with the number. The number must have been ported out because Vonage can't legally route calls to it. Raising hell and whatnot can't get you that number back because it's not Vonage's to assign.

Now, the question you need to ask yourself, basically, is why would you print 100,000 dollars worth of advertising stuff without checking the phone number first to see if it worked? A quick call from a cell phone or a landline or any other provider except Vonage would have demonstrated that there was an issue with a number.

I think the fault is on both sides here: Shame on Vonage for not removing the number or having technology in place to remove the number after it was transferred out, shame on you for not testing a number before you invest 100k which relies on the number for accuracy.

I don't know who to refer you to talk to in this case, I just wanted to give you some information on why it happened.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: May 22, 2007 Posts: 2

Yes, we figured out the number had been ported out - we talked to the other person. We had called the number from our phone - which is also Vonage and never had an issue. Honestly, it never occurred to us to check from any other phone. And frankly I don't see how we should have to check the number from several different providers when we requested a completely new business line. These providers need to take some responsibility in making sure they aren't screwing up. Obviously there system had to port out the number.

Since we have been paying for this number for almost 7 months, several before we printed the items. And you'd think Vonage could have figured it out before then as well.

Posts: 153 · Vonage Forum Master Joined: Jan 11, 2007 Posts: 153

As has been said, this is not an uncommon problem, and not unique to Vonage, and not even to Voip. It's just part of the whole number-portability morass.

Just a couple of months ago the same thing happened when a friend of mine moved his mother into a new house and ordered new service for her with one of our two local cable companies, the one that's not also the incumbent local exchange carrier. He chose the TV/Internet/Phone package for her, and the cable company assigned her a number, installed all the equpment, and everything seemed to be ok. My friend could call his mother from his cable-company phone. She could make calls. Looked good.

But then they tried to phone her number from a non-cable-company telephone. They reached some completely different person.

It seems that a customer of the cable company had decided to switch to the new fiber cable/internet/TV offering of the other company (the one that's also the ILEC). The ILEC issued the port order, and the number got pulled out of the cable company's allotment, but the cable company did the same thing Vonage apparently did here: instead of marking the number "ported away" they marked it "available".

In this case, the problem was discovered the first day, but only because of a chance call from another carrier.

You said

Quote:

And frankly I don't see how we should have to check the number from several different providers when we requested a completely new business line.

Number portability is a mess, and you really do have to check any new phone service from multiple providers to be sure that it works. In fact, you have to check your phone service all the time these days, because providers don't give a ratatouille about calls to or from other providers these days. They'll take your monthly payment and don't really care whether your service works right as long as you keep paying.

By paying for seven months for service that wasn't working, you're a primary demonstration of why this policy makes money for them.