So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

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zoboflobby
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So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by zoboflobby » Thu May 10, 2012 6:38 pm

I have been a Ooma customer for a number of years... lov(ed) it.

6 months ago we moved 60 miles East of where I lived (Omaha, NE) to Atlantic, IA... this is important.

I called Ooma to confirm I could get a new number in the new community...
"No we do not have numbers there, but we do have service. If you have another local number we can port it"
Perfect. I can do that.

So we get moved and I order the port. "Can't port the number"
Now it's been 6 months now so it's a little sketchy why but they said it had to do with "No ports available there, we are at capacity" Ok that makes no sense what so ever. I know enough about telecom to know there is a CLEC who is the "carrier" front end for Ooma. Could be Level3, 360 Networks, Bandwidth.com.... whatever I understand how this works.

So they offered me a number 30 miles away... not an optimum solution but getting closer. They issued me 712-566-7XXX
360 Networks is the carrier... http://www.localcallingguide.com/lca_pr ... nextdays=0

In fact they offered me 20 different numbers in a 30-60 mile circle around my community from... 360 Networks.

So we must not have 360 Networks in Atlantic, IA correct?
Wrong.
In fact 360 Networks has 2000 numbers here!
http://www.localcallingguide.com/lca_pr ... nextdays=0

So every month I type my number into the Ooma portal to port... every month is says SURE! and then I ask the chat and am told NO.

I recommended Ooma to a friend... not only did the Ooma site say he could port, but there are numbers from... wait for it... 360 Networks in his area. I figure "It will be just as easy as it was for me in Omaha since they obviously can't say they don't serve there" He tries to port and is denied.

What is going on? It's like Ooma does not even know what numbers they have access too or don't care to check.

So I am out $250, my buddy is out $250 and neither one of us have working service because we trusted the website portal that said we could port. I don't feel too awful I used mine for quite some time before moving... but he holds me responsible for saying how awesome the service was.

My next stop is a letter to the Public Utilities Commission of Iowa... I need help. I need it now. It makes no sense why this can not be completed. I don't want a number 60 miles away. I don't live in the middle of nowhere. Your carrier provides service both here and in Glenwood, IA.

How can I escalate this above typical support, they tell me to check the website each month but as I said the website lies.

Thanks for any help you can provide

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lbmofo
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Re: So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by lbmofo » Thu May 10, 2012 8:16 pm

I find Atlantic, IA having these prefixes:

712-243
712-249
712-250
712-254

On Ooma Phone Number Availability and Porting page: https://go.ooma.com/phone_numbers

Looks like all the above exchanges are portable to Ooma.

However, when trying to look for a new number, Ooma only has numbers in these cities for the 712 area code (but no Atlantic)

Carroll
Carter Lake
Council Bluffs
Crescent
Glenwood
Mineola
Missouri Valley
Neola
Red Oak
Shenandoah
Silver City
Sioux City
Spencer
Underwood

So not sure what's going on.

Maybe you've been dealing with the Porting Department of Ooma all along but in case you haven't, you can try emailing loa@ooma.com directly for help on your situation.

One thing to keep in mind....although an Ooma carrier may serve Atlantic, that doesn't mean Ooma is able to service Atlantic; may have to do with arrangements/agreements between Ooma and Ooma's carrier.

I thought perhaps Google Voice could be your workaround for the time being but even Google Voice doesn't have any numbers in the 712 area code (currently anyway). Nothing in the whole 712 area code.

If Google Voice had Atlantic numbers, then you could get one and forward it to Ooma so it wouldn't be long distance to folks in Atlantic.

On Google Voice signup: /viewtopic.php?t=13383#p93077

Also, example thread of similar topic: viewtopic.php?t=7850

zoboflobby
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Joined:Thu May 10, 2012 6:11 pm

Re: So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by zoboflobby » Fri May 11, 2012 6:02 am

Yea I am aware of a possible GV work around but it's not an optimal solution.
When I call people they will get the wrong callerID and won't answer.

I currently have a VOIP number from another service I was trying to port... wonder if I should find another VOIP provider using 360 and get the number there... then try the port.

Bandwidth.com JUST got numbers here, I have their Republic Wireless service and when I first asked they said they had none till I showed them they did. About 2 hours later when they asked around inside they loaded it into their switch and I had my number. Wish someone at Ooma would do that

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lbmofo
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Re: So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by lbmofo » Fri May 11, 2012 10:18 am

zoboflobby wrote:Yea I am aware of a possible GV work around but it's not an optimal solution.
When I call people they will get the wrong callerID and won't answer.
Ooma GVE, a Premier feature, would solve this problem if you have Telo and given you have a local GV number.

zoboflobby
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Joined:Thu May 10, 2012 6:11 pm

Re: So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by zoboflobby » Fri May 11, 2012 12:35 pm

I'm sorry these solutions are not really solutions. This should be really simple.

There is 0 chance I am going to upgrade to a teleo AND sign up for premier if we can't even get a phone number working properly

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lbmofo
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Re: So frustrated I want to cry New Number/Port

Post by lbmofo » Fri May 11, 2012 12:52 pm

I suppose the best route to take right now is to ask Ooma for estimated timeframe on when Atlantic number would be available.

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