Number portability experience

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Nov 18, 2003 Posts: 28

Does anyone (a Vonage-employed lurker, maybe?) know how this process actually works? What happens to get the number transferred? Is this just worked out between the two carriers, or is there some third party, a Department of Number Transfers, involved?

This doesn't seem hard to me. Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't this simply require punching in a few computer commands? This isn't a physical change, like installing a new wire. This is simply rerouting a call electronically. Why the delay?

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 07, 2004 Posts: 21

I just checked the FCC site regarding local number portability. Unfortunately, although the FCC states that a provider cannot refuse a "properly submitted request" for lnp, it does not state a maximum amount of time to comply with the request.

I remember when the fcc mandated dsl carrier portability, they did require compliance within a certain time frame (10 business days, I believe) and my experience with dealing with the phone company is they would delay as long as possible, causing as much friction between the two carriers as possible while (typically) remaining in the letter of the law. Any delays then appear to be incompetency with your new carrier, not with your old carrier.

To take it a step further, I've seen different response times for different carrier requests. The ones who took the time (and money) to report to the FCC the latency of the phone company typically got better response times than the up-start companies who simply didn't have the resources to bring multiple legal grievances to the FCC.

Vonage would have to prove that your current provider has not complied "within a reasonable time" which means court time, lawyer fees, research, etc.

Posts: 27 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jan 07, 2004 Posts: 27

We all can agree that the company losing the customer will drag their feet as long as possible. According to the FCC, read how long the process *should* take.

- from the FCC's web site -

How long will the porting process take?

For a wireless to wireless transfer, the porting process should take approximately two and a half hours from the time the porting request is made of the old carrier. The FCC has not mandated a specific time frame for the porting process. Two and a half hours is the time frame agreed upon by the wireless industry, and the FCC supports and encourages carriers to use that time frame.

A wireline to wireless port will probably take longer to complete, and could take several days. Before porting between wireline and wireless phones, consumers should ask their new service provider how long the process will take.

Here is information on Number Portability according to the FCC

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/NumberPortability/

You can also easily file a complaint with the FCC:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html

Perhaps, for those waiting too long we start to complain so that the FCC knows about it.

Guest

Well, my number finally ported, sort of. The old carrier, BellSouth is supposed to release it tonight. I still get calls on the old landline phone, so hopefully that will end tonight.

Since my earlier post, I have had several times to talk to the number portability department at Vonage and they have been nothing but helpful, courteous, and very easy to reach every time.

Also, I see in the forums people complain about problems reaching technical support at Vonage. I have not had that experience, always being able to get through to a live person within 2 minutes or less, at least so far.

I still have yet to be convinced about the sound quality being equivalent to landline. It is the same or close to it about 60% of the time, about like a cell phone 30%, and 10% bad.

Guest

My port took exactly 60 days from the time the LOA was logged in the Vonage system to Qwest releasing it. If I recall correctly when I talked to someone at Vonage they told me a feek weeks was a realistic target interval. I'd say Vonage came close to delivering on the expectations and Qwest was the hang up from what I can see.

Qwest seems to have sat on the order from 12/12/03 to 1/20/03, and took 1 day after approval to finish the port. At work I've seen similar intervals on ports to a CLEC.

Guest

What confuses me is what it means when Vonage says they have sent the lnp request to "the carrier." Is "the carrier" the local phone company, or is "the carrier" the third party which is handling vonage's lnp requests? (In my case, I believe the third party handling the lnp was Focal Communications, which also happens to be "a carrier" - a CLEC.)

Vonage creates the impression that the local phone companies are causing the delays, but they won't provide any information to back up this claim. If it is true that the local phone companies are sitting on the lnp requests for weeks at a time, that would clearly violate the spirit of what the FCC is trying to do with lnp.

In almost all their communications about the number transfer, Vonage uses vague phrases which blur the distinction between "the carrier" and the local phone companies. Consider this passage from the FAQ:

"Because we have never slammed a customer, and never want to, we have very strict procedures which we insist our phone company partners follow in making the switch to our service. It's not much paperwork, but depending on the company involved it can take some time."

So what does "the company involved" mean?

Why wouldn't Vonage itself complain to the FCC if phone companies all across the country were consistently refusing to promptly comply with proper LNP requests?

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 16, 2003 Posts: 28

In order to expedite my number transfer I called my POTS carrier to ask them why they were sitting on the request. They said they had no record of it and I should contact Vonage. Vonage said they had sent it in and then gave me chapter and verse of virtual numbers (which I don't need as I read and understood this before I got into it).

My question is why are we supposed to accept the status quo - why doesn't Vonage take our order and once the number is transferred and I can switch off my old line I can then start paying Vonage for their service.

I don't need two lines, and I don't want to pay for them. This should be Vonage's problem not ours.....

Posts: 28 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 16, 2003 Posts: 28

Has anyone had luck in speaking to Vonage LNP? I have called the LNP number in the email many times and it never gets picked up. I have left voicemails but they never get returned.

Should I just go through normal customer service?

Posts: 61 · Full Forum Member Joined: Dec 04, 2003 Posts: 61

Vonage customer service is useless in transfer issues.

I have called several times. What is the LNP number?

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 29, 2004 Posts: 3

dynastar wrote:

What is the LNP number?

(866) 496-6359

Good luck Confused