Porting from AT&T

Need extra help installing your Ooma Hub or Telo system? Let us know.
Post Reply
jwilwert
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:30 pm
Porting from AT&T

Post by jwilwert » Thu Dec 29, 2011 2:44 pm

Hi,
I'm looking over my AT&T billing statement and trying to decide if I need to use your number porting feature to keep my current number. The AT&T internet services portion is broken out as a seperate item in this statement and is $35.83. I understand - and please correct me if needed - that this internet service is "attatached" to my phone number. So, all I really need to do is cancel by local and long distance "features" - which are costing a bundle of money - and I am good to go. In my particular case, the number porting service you are offering is not needed. Am I understand this correctly?
Many thanks in advance,
John Wilwert

User avatar
lbmofo
Posts:9337
Joined:Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:37 pm
Location:Greater Seattle
Contact:

Re: Porting from AT&T

Post by lbmofo » Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:33 pm

If you want to keep using your landline number with Ooma, do not cancel the landline phone service, you discontinue the service by initiating number porting with Ooma. Once the number is ported over to Ooma, your landline phone service will be discontinued (you can call afterwards to confirm that your phone service is turned off). If you cancel your landline service, you won't be able to port your number over to Ooma.

Charles R
Posts:67
Joined:Fri Aug 05, 2011 4:35 pm

Re: Porting from AT&T

Post by Charles R » Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:09 pm

If you search for AT&T porting there are a couple of threads that cover the process... including if you have DSL it will be disconnected.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11925

jblock312
Posts:39
Joined:Thu Dec 30, 2010 5:17 am

Re: Porting from AT&T

Post by jblock312 » Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:27 am

I had what you have - dsl attached to my phone number. If you want to port your number to Ooma, and keep dsl service, and it sounds like that is what you want to do, then you will probably have to establish a new dry dsl account before you port.
It would seem that it would be a simple thing to just port your number and keep your internet connection, but no.
At&t uses your phone number in your account number. Once your number is ported out, the account number would need to be changed. I guess they can't do that. So you have to get a new dsl account with a new account number.

rmeden
Posts:64
Joined:Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:13 pm

Re: Porting from AT&T

Post by rmeden » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:28 pm

I had two POTS lines going in to my house, the primary one with DSL.

When I wanted to sign up for Ooma and port my number I called AT&T to move my DSL to the second line. They said they can no longer do that (specifically, "DSL is not available in your area" (even though I have it)) and I'll need to sign up for UVerse Internet at the same rate.

The problem is I only have two pair running through my walls and don't want to run a 3rd one for Uverse. After numerous escalations I had no choice but to drop AT&T Internet and go Cable before I cut to Ooma. :(

Back to the OP's issue, you may find that traditional DSL is no longer available in your area and they'll move you to Uverse Internet anyway. The only difference (other than Uverse offering faster connect speeds) is Uverse always has it's own pair and is not tied to your POTS account. I'm sure this is being done for regulatory reasons.

You'll want to move off DSL before you start the number port to avoid disruption.

BTW, I didn't know about it, but I found my AT&T line had call forwarding (72#) so I was able to forward my AT&T line to my temp Ooma number and had no obvious interruption during the cut. Only noticeable issue was Ooma outgoing Caller-id was the temp number until it was over.

Robert

Post Reply