Wireless Number Portability Tips
Your wireless and landline number can follow
you from landline to wireless or the reverse,
or from one cellular carrier to another.
These are tips to make the transition smoother
for you.
Portability: Not all numbers are portable; it primarily
depends on geography and where the number was originally
connected. Your wireless representative can automatically
tell you whether a
phone number is portable
according to Federal Communications Commission
guidelines.
Process Time: Porting a phone number involves two carriers.
Although
your wireless carrier is only able to control
half of the porting process,
they will work with the other carriers to
port numbers within
24-hours. As carriers get used to this new,
complex national process,
we expect to complete a majority of wireless-to-wireless
single "port"
requests within three hours. Wireline-to-wireless
ports, may take up
to four days, or possibly longer, based on
complexity of the port and
the wireline carrier.
Equipment: Many customers will need a new wireless
phone, since
different wireless companies use different
technologies.
A "Live" Number is Required: Don't cancel service before switching.
A
number must be active to switch; in other
words, customers wanting to
switch carriers must keep their service active
with their old provider
until the port is complete.
Bringing A Recent Bill Will Help: Customers should bring their most
recent bill from their old carrier with them,
and know any account-
related passwords, to speed the porting process.
Expect Dual Service: Customers will need to carry their old
and new
phones until the port is complete, the old
phone for receiving calls,
the new phone for making calls. In an emergency,
we recommend
that you place calls to 911 from your old
handset as Emergency
Services will not be able to call you back
on your new handset until
the port is complete. Also, although both
old and new carriers
will bill for calls, customers will not be
billed twice for the same
phone call.
Be Prepared To Provide a "Can Be Reached"
Number: Customers should be
prepared to provide a phone number where
they can be reached during
the porting process to expedite the resolution
of any problems.
Status Information: Customers "porting" their number
to Verizon
Wireless will be given a number to call for
status updates and will receive a free TEXT message notifying them
when the process is
complete.
Old Features: Saved voice mail messages will not transfer
to the
customer's new phone. Verizon Wireless retail
stores in the western
U.S. will be able transfer contact phone
numbers from a customer's old
phone to their new phone for free.
Contract Terms Still Apply: Portability does not relieve any customer
of
contract obligations.
Or call a nearby cellular store's number:
