Portability From Vonage

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 04, 2004 Posts: 1

Be warned that Vonage does not allow you to transfer numbers from them that they created. That is if you sign up with them and get the number from them, you cannot take the number with you if you leave. It would be better to sign up for a number with someone else, tranfer that number and cancel the old than to sign up for a number with Vonage.

This irks me because I specifically asked the sales department that specific question and they assured me it would not be a problem. I even called back yesterday to see if sales had changed their tune, and they have not. Still giving me the same story.

I am now stuck with them or I have to go get another number. Anybody have any suggestions on how I can get them to let me keep the number?

Posts: 89 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Feb 04, 2004 Posts: 89

I don't think they can keep the number. Have you tried calling other phone companies and asking them to port the number?

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 24, 2005 Posts: 20

Vonage Terms and Conditions

Quote:

1.9 Number Transfer on Service Termination
Upon termination of the Service, Vonage may, at its sole discretion, release a telephone number that was ported in from a previous service provider to Vonage by you and used in connection with your Service provisioned by Vonage to your new service provider, if such new service provider is able to accept such number, and provided that (i) your account has been terminated; (ii) your Vonage account is completely current including payment for all charges and termination fees; and (iii) you request the transfer upon terminating your account.

Notice the part about "sole discretion"?

Notice it says nothing about Vonage supplied numbers?

I wish I read that part BEFORE signing up.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 14, 2005 Posts: 11

Vonage can keep any numbers that it generates since it is not regulated by the PUC. However, vonage can not keep any number you ported in regardless of the circumstance. Even if you owe them $1million dollars one you cancel the service, or they cancel it the number goes back to the previous carrier.

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:59 pm Post subject:

ccleere wrote:

Vonage can keep any numbers that it generates since it is not regulated by the PUC. However, vonage can not keep any number you ported in regardless of the circumstance. Even if you owe them $1million dollars one you cancel the service, or they cancel it the number goes back to the previous carrier.

No, this is incorrect in several different ways.

Myth: Vonage can keep any numbers that it generates since it is not regulated by the PUC.

Truth: Vonage may not be able to port out Vonage assigned numbers because they are leased, not owned.

Another company did a survey and found it was possible to port out a previously ported in number. However they mentioned that these companies had a set of conditions that must be met before a number could be ported out. In an area where Vonage needs numbers I can see them attempting to hang on to numbers from people who cancelled service.

Quote:

[A VoIP phone company] surveyed many other internet phone companies, including Vonage®, [and others]. It found that none of the companies allowed customers to keep a phone number the company assigned to them, if the customer decided to switch to another phone company.

All of the companies surveyed did have a set of conditions which, if met, would let customers keep their phone number, if they previously established that phone number at another phone company. But none of the companies surveyed allowed portability for phone numbers it assigns.

Blanchard said, "some internet phone companies lease blocks of phone numbers from other phone companies. As a result they cannot offer ownership of telephone numbers to customers because the companies don't own the numbers to begin with.

The above is copied and edited to reduce size from a press release. It is not meant to be a comparison of technical merits of different VoIP providers but rather to outline the technical reasons that porting a Vonage assigned number away may be impossible at this time. I have not included a link to the press release as it is from a Vonage competitor.

Myth: However, Vonage can not keep any number you ported in regardless of the circumstance.

Truth: Vonage can keep any phone number that is ported to Vonage.

The essential problem becomes who owns your telephone number. It is my understanding that Vonage is the registered owner of all numbers transferred in.

So now, if you have read this far, here is the authoritative answer from the Vonage Terms of Service:

Quote:

1.9 Number Transfer on Service Termination
Upon termination of the Service, Vonage may, at its sole discretion, release a telephone number that was ported in from a previous service provider to Vonage by you and used in connection with your Service provisioned by Vonage to your new service provider, if such new service provider is able to accept such number, and provided that (i) your account has been terminated; (ii) your Vonage account is completely current including payment for all charges and termination fees; and (iii) you request the transfer upon terminating your account.

That being said, there are reports of people who have transferred numbers away by directly contacting the CLEC who manages the local line. It is unclear if these ports were done with Vonage's permission or without their knowledge.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 14, 2005 Posts: 11

The number is owned by the local telephone provider SBC, Qwest, Verizon, whoever. Vonage leases the number as long as you are there customer, but must release it if you leave. Vonage does not own any numbers, the local carrier owns them. I have seen ports canceled where I work, and the number has gone to the previous company.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 28, 2005 Posts: 5

I'm in the process of trying to port my Vonage number to SBC. It was a number created by Vonage - not originally ported from another provider. I called SBC directly and they looked up the number and verified (maybe I should say claimed) that it could be ported. It's been about 3 weeks or so since I called, hopefully it all works out...

Posts: 67 · Full Forum Member Joined: May 31, 2005 Posts: 67

Reguardess of vonage terms and rules, laws were passed porting numbers. These laws over ride vonage rules and terms. Numbers can be ported, reguardless. Vonage may think their terms over ride laws, they dont.

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:46 am Post subject:

randym431 wrote:

Reguardess of vonage terms and rules, laws were passed porting numbers. These laws over ride vonage rules and terms. Numbers can be ported, reguardless. Vonage may think their terms over ride laws, they dont.

No, I am not convinced.

First, the "law" you are talking about is probably the telecommunications act of 1996 amended with section 251.

It only applies to LECs and not specifically to VoIP carriers. More importantly it specifies that you have the right to change carriers and keep the same number at the same location.

As far as I can tell, number portability allows Vonage to move the number they are using to provide you incoming calls to a different carrier. You lost your standing to control the number when you stopped paying an LEC. Since Vonage is paying the LEC they are the user of the number and they control it.

Here is the issue. Vonage is paying a CLEC to provide service for a number. That CLEC doesn't necessarily know who you are because Vonage is the account holder.

Scenario #1: If that CLEC allows you to come in and port that number without Vonage's permission what is there to stop a business competitor from stealing your number?

Scenario #2: Someone terminates their Vonage service and doesn't transfer their number out. (Say they went to prison.) Some time later they port the number away. However, in the meantime, Vonage had reassigned that number to another customer as was still using it.

So the question remains. Who is the registered user of the number? Is it Vonage, who is the only one who has a contractual relationship with the CLEC, or is it the Vonage customer? I don't believe the FCC regulations address the situation and as such I believe that since Vonage spells out their terms in advance they are binding.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 14, 2005 Posts: 11

Actually if you want to get really specific vonage does not have anything to do with the numbers ported in, generated, or otherwise. Vonage is actually a reseller of service from Global Crossing, who is actually providing your local/long distance service. They are a wholesaler of telephone service. You can find more info about them on the internet. You can also dial the 700-555-4141 (or what ever that number is) to check your long distance carrier if you do not believe me. It will clear state Global Crossing. I guess if you had the funds, you could start your own VOIP company just like vongage.