Move a Vonage number to local telco?

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 27, 2005 Posts: 2

I'm thinking about trying Vonage for a new small business. If Vonage assigns a number and the service doesn't work for me, can I transfer that number to my local provider? Everything I've found relates to moving numbers to Vonage-- not the other way.. Thanks.

Posts: 448 · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 7:54 pm Post subject:

Nope, Vonage numbers stay with Vonage. That may change with time, but probably not without some kind of regulation mandating it.... and government regulation is the last thing we want encroaching into Voip service. Once that happens, it opens the door to all kinds of nasty issues like taxation, and other impediments to competition and innovation.

Posts: 70 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jan 11, 2005 Posts: 70

So what happens if someone moves from POTS to Voip, can they go to POTS again??

Thanks

Posts: 448 · Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:51 pm Post subject:

Kash76 wrote:

So what happens if someone moves from POTS to Voip, can they go to POTS again??

I've heard opinions both ways. Reebok says he went from POTS to Voip to Voip successfully, but I haven't heard anyone who has yet gone Voip to POTS.

The Voip craze is still so new, I doubt very many have tried to go full circle yet. If anyone DOES successfully LNP from Voip to POTS, I hope they post here and let us know.

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 27, 2005 Posts: 2

Thanks. This seems like a deal killer for a small biz. I don't think I'm willing to disseminate a new Vonage number only to start over if the service doesn't pan out. Anyway, thanks again for the info.

Posts: 52 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 8:35 am Post subject:

This is regarding a cell phone, but should still apply to a POTS line. That is, if you transferred your POTS number to Vonage to start with:

http://www.vonage.com/help_knowledgeBase_article.php?article=296&category=206

As far as a Vonage-assigned number. That probably won't transfer out to a POTS because of physical exchange rules.

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:06 am Post subject:

it won't transfer out because you aren't the "owner of record". when you have a pots line, you own it, in a way. with Vonage, they own it (thus Vonage holdings on caller id). therefore, it's not your number to transfer.
I did see one post on dslreports that someone transferred out a Voip assigned number, but I can't find it anymore. I'll keep searching though.

edit: ok, unfortunately what I remembered was actually porting Voip to Voip. usa2k ported his Vonage assigned number to broadvoxdirect.
in this post the CIO of broadvox mentions that they have done it:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11776434~mode=flat
in these posts, usa2k talks about his experience with it:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,12417789~mode=flat
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11899597~mode=flat

Posts: 103 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 5:54 pm Post subject:

so if I decide to keep my POTS number with Vonage, can or can't I switch it back out to POTS if I don't like Vonage for some reason in the future?

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 5:58 pm Post subject:

yes you should be able to.

Posts: 57 · Full Forum Member Joined: Feb 23, 2005 Posts: 57

This is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Here's the deal. I have like 5 lines with Vonage. I am becoming an ITSP or an internet telephony service provider (a competitor to Vonage) and it looks like Vonage won't support porting my phone numbers over.

It looks like someone in here asked Vonage upfront and they said they could port numbers from themselves and there wouldn't be any problem. (A Vonage Rep trying to make sale). I wonder if that guy could get it on tape.

I sure hope Vonage ports there numbers out or else this is going to be a huge problem.