EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

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bmccollum
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EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by bmccollum » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:13 am

My parents are in the 3-week-waiting process to have their long-standing AT&T-provided home phone # ported over to Ooma.

I've read all kinds of dos/don'ts on here regarding what you should and should not do if you've got a situation where you have existing telephone & DSL service from AT&T, and after the porting, you're going to be left with just DSL service (dry loop) from AT&T.

I've read that you should not contact AT&T before the porting process is complete, and I've read that you *should* contact them prior to the porting completion. I've read that people having both telephone/DSL service from AT&T woke-up the day of the porting completion & didn't have AT&T-provided phone service (which is expected, obviously), but they also found that their AT&T-provided DSL service was unexpectedly cancelled as well that same day & they had to go through a process of getting their DSL service reestablished.

I've read where some mention that you should contact AT&T well before the estimated porting completion date & have them separate your telephone / DSL service to where when the porting completion date arrives, it's a seamless process of your telephone service being cancelled & your existing DSL service continuing forward now as a dry loop DSL service.

I'm just trying to help my parents out so they can do what's typically recommended & have everything go seamlessly & where they won't unexpectedly find their existing DSL service cut-off / cancelled on the date of telephone # porting, have to wait 5-7 days for AT&T to reestablish the DSL service, etc.

Thanks for any recommendations...

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DTMF
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by DTMF » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:40 am

Ooma recommends contacting AT&T. While my port worked fine, following Ooma's recommendations to the letter, AT&T disconnected my Internet service a week later. This despite the 90 minutes I spent with a rep on the phone getting the dry loop arrangements in place. Despite the issue being AT&T's mistake, their bureaucracy was unable to restore my Internet service in less than a week's time, so I ended up switching to their cable competitor and got a same day self-installation.

Others have reported seamless experiences by not contacting AT&T until after their port was complete. If I had it to do again, I would do what they did.
Ooma customer since November 2009.
Formerly employed at another VoIP company.
My opinions are my own.

joally
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Joined:Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:36 am

Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by joally » Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:40 am

After numerous phone calls to AT&T. I was told that they are -by law- not allowed to make any changes to the account once the porting request has been placed by Ooma. Therefore I cannot order Direct (dry-loop) DSL until my number has been ported and DSL has been, unfortunately, canceled. At that point, I can call them and order Direct DSL as a NEW customer. All this trouble does have a benefit: They have recently lowered the prices for new Direct DSL (only) customers that are good for 12 mos. However, it takes 3 days after placing the order to get the DSL service started.

My concern is that I think I read somewhere that Ooma places a test call after porting the number and I am in a pinch if I don't have DSL at that point because the call won't go through. There were all kinds of warnings when I placed the porting order with Ooma that I would have to pay $200 if this happens.

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lbmofo
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by lbmofo » Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:44 am

So, does this mean, when the number port completes, you'll lose your DSL service for sure?

I am wondering if that happens all the time beacause I've seen others report that they didn't have to request dry-loop...it happens automatically once the number port completes.

joally
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by joally » Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:51 am

Yes, I will lose my DSL service because it is tied to the phone number. 2 different AT&T people told me this. I even threatened to switch to Cox, but they act like it is out of their hands, state law or something. (I'm in CA.)

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bw1
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by bw1 » Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:44 pm

So just go sign up for Cox Cable for a month and then you can decide which high-speed Internet service is better.

tommies
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by tommies » Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:01 pm

lbmofo wrote:So, does this mean, when the number port completes, you'll lose your DSL service for sure?
Yes with ATT DSL service.
I am wondering if that happens all the time beacause I've seen others report that they didn't have to request dry-loop...it happens automatically once the number port completes.
I think it's Qwest DSL, not ATT. This thing is depended on the carrier.

I had requested a dry loop with ATT before my number ported. It was in March last year, and I spent ~3 weeks with a ooma temp. number.

Some others post that they sign up for dry loop DSL(ATT: Direct DSL) on the day the the port is to be completed.

PS.
I don't think every body has the luxery of choosing the ISP in his/her location.
tommies

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lbmofo
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by lbmofo » Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:04 pm

Anyone with Verizon experience? I ported out of Verizon DSL but signed up to cable before the port so didn't care but a family member is now wondering about whether dry-loop is automatic with Verizon.

joally
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by joally » Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:20 pm

bw1 wrote:So just go sign up for Cox Cable for a month and then you can decide which high-speed Internet service is better.

To purchase the equipment for my home network is expensive, and I think a contract is required.

I emailed Ooma customer service, and here is there reply.

"Thank you for contacting Ooma Customer Support. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.



You don't need to worry about that once your Internet is up all you need to do is to connect your Ooma device and it should work. There is no test call from Ooma that will take place you will be the only one who will test the phone for receiving and and making a call.



If you have any concerns, feel free to send us an email with detailed information or you may also call us on our technical support hotline for real-time assistance. Contact details are shown at my signature."

So it looks like I will not have any problems other than being without phone and internet for 3 days. Thank goodness for cell phones!

I'll keep you posted as to whether it all goes down this easily.

weerts
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Re: EXACT Steps to Follow When Porting # (AT&T DSL/Phone)

Post by weerts » Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:31 pm

I am in progress on porting my number w/AT&T (former BellSouth). It took me three calls to understand what is going on and what I think is going on may still be incorrect. Here is my understanding. I have DSL associated with phone number A. I want to port phone number A. I've handed in my LOA to ooma.

1. Called up Bellsouth sales line. Ordered DSL Direct explaining that I wanted to port my number. I got a DSL Direct line (their name for Dry Loop) which was assigned a different phone number. We'll call it B. I think this is because their accounting is based on phone number rather than some other unique id

2. Service man came out and attached 2nd line at the Telephone Network Interface(TNI). My drop was already a 2 pair (4 wire) cable so he just used the second pair. I already had a single 2 pair feed going from the outside to the inside so attached the second pair to the TNI. This line is dead at the moment.

3. The Bellsouth tech people cannot changeover to the new line until the number is ported. When I am told the number is ported I am supposed to call the technical support number they gave me to have them switch the DSL from A to B. Presumably I'll have to do this over a cell phone since at that point the ooma won't work since I'm missing DSL.

Pretty convoluted. I'll update if this actually works.

Luke

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