Canceling Transfer to Another Wireless Carrier

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

jerry - 23 Mar 2004 20:34 GMT

I was wondering if anyone has experience transferring his or her number
to another carrier and then canceling the new service within the 15-day
trial period because it didn’t work out. Can you then go back to ATTWS
and have your account reinstated as it was?

Signature

regards,
jerry

Reply to this Message

Robert M. - 23 Mar 2004 22:34 GMT

> I was wondering if anyone has experience transferring his or her number
> to another carrier and then canceling the new service within the 15-day
> trial period because it didn?t work out. Can you then go back to ATTWS
> and have your account reinstated as it was?

As close as I can tell EVERYONE else is thrilled to get away from AT&T
so there is likely to be an incredibly small # of folks with the kind of
experience you are suggesting. Likely you could only choose from
"currently available" AT&T plans as your account would have been closed.

Reply to this Message

wirelessjuan - 23 Mar 2004 23:05 GMT

>I was wondering if anyone has experience transferring his or her number to
>another carrier and then canceling the new service within the 15-day trial
>period because it didn't work out. Can you then go back to ATTWS and have
>your account reinstated as it was?

We did this for a customer who transferred to TMobile but wasn't happy about
their coverage. The customer cancelled that contract and returned to ATT.
By returning though the customer had to go back into a 1 year contract even
though they were previously out of contract because they were considered as
signing up again. It took forever for ATT to re-setup the account. (3 hours
on the phone with dealer services)

> regards,
> jerry

Reply to this Message

Cell merger - 24 Mar 2004 00:32 GMT

> It took forever for ATT to re-setup the account.

Isn't it wonderful when employees brag about how bad they are?

Reply to this Message

jerry - 24 Mar 2004 00:37 GMT

wirelessjuan said the following on 3/23/2004 2:05 PM:

>>I was wondering if anyone has experience transferring his or her number to
>>another carrier and then canceling the new service within the 15-day trial
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> signing up again. It took forever for ATT to re-setup the account. (3 hours
> on the phone with dealer services)

So, it seems that LNP and try-before-you-buy are mutually exclusive.
I’ve been a happy camper with ATT-WS for nearly two years but recently
service (TDMA) has degraded seriously in my neighborhood. Enough so
that I’m motivated to switch carrier. Ideally I would like to do a
side-by-side comparison in known trouble spots and times between my
current carrier and the new one. Initiating a LNP transfer makes that
impossible. Furthermore, if the new carrier does not work out then I’m
left with nothing. My current service no longer exists.

Seems like a flaw to me. LNP appears to be a gamble. I think I’ll keep
ATT-WS while I check out Verizon and if switching works out then my
friends and colleagues will just have to deal with the fact that my
mobile phone number changed.

Signature

regards,
jerry

Reply to this Message

John S. - 24 Mar 2004 01:54 GMT

> I think I’ll keep
>ATT-WS while I check out Verizon and if switching works out then my
>friends and colleagues will just have to deal with the fact that my
>mobile phone number changed.

This is so much more reasonable than changing the old number to the new
carrier.

And you are not participating in "Gvoernment mandated theft".

--
John S.
e-mail responses to - john at kiana dot net

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 26 Mar 2004 22:52 GMT

> So, it seems that LNP and try-before-you-buy are mutually exclusive.

Sort of, or at least not worth the effort.

> Ideally I would like to do a
> side-by-side comparison in known trouble spots and times between my
> current carrier and the new one.

How much is your number worth to you? You could buy a Verizon
pre-paid phone and use it as your "test" phone, then port your AT&T #
to a Verizon contract if/when you are satisfied with the results of
your test.

> Initiating a LNP transfer makes that
> impossible. Furthermore, if the new carrier does not work out then I’m
> left with nothing. My current service no longer exists.

True. In a perfect world the folks using LNP would be paying for it
via a one-time porting fee of $25, 50, or 100 or whatever it's deemed
to cost, instead of all of us paying $1-2/month in BS "regulatory
compliance" fees.

> Seems like a flaw to me. LNP appears to be a gamble.

Nobody's forcing anyone to use it- we're just being forced to pay the
freight for it!

> I think I’ll keep
> ATT-WS while I check out Verizon and if switching works out then my
> friends and colleagues will just have to deal with the fact that my
> mobile phone number changed.

Hey, if Verizon wants you bad enough maybe they can loan you a
pre-paid phone and arrange for you just to pay for airtime used until
you're satisfied with them.

Reply to this Message

Jerry - 27 Mar 2004 03:05 GMT

>
>> So, it seems that LNP and try-before-you-buy are mutually
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> pre-paid phone and arrange for you just to pay for airtime used
> until you're satisfied with them.

I went to a Verizon store a few days ago and explained all the above to
the salesman. He said no problem. I signed up for a plan and phone of
my choice and got a new phone number. If I'm happy then before the 15-
day trail period is over I just need to get back to him and *then* he
will initiate the port to my existing number. This makes sense and it
is how LNP should work, IMHO. We shall see. Yes, I'm paying for two
phones now but as I understand it ATW bills you to the end of your
billing cycle anyway when porting to a different carrier.

Signature

regards,
jerry

Reply to this Message

ScorpionKing@attNOSPAM.net - 29 Mar 2004 19:40 GMT

>>
>>> So, it seems that LNP and try-before-you-buy are mutually
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>phones now but as I understand it ATW bills you to the end of your
>billing cycle anyway when porting to a different carrier.

I did the same thing Jerry, but I pickled up a Tmobile phone as well.
After having all three phones for almost 14 days Verizon is getting my
business.

Signature

Like a game of pick up stick played by f.cking lunatics

Reply to this Message

Jerry - 30 Mar 2004 04:11 GMT

>>>
>>>> So, it seems that LNP and try-before-you-buy are mutually
[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]
>
> Like a game of pick up stick played by f.cking lunatics

So after trying Verizon for 14 days where you then able to port you
current ATW number? By the way, you signature is offensive and
destroys any credibility that you might think you have ...

Signature

regards,
jerry

Reply to this Message

Dan W. - 31 Mar 2004 22:44 GMT

> I was wondering if anyone has experience transferring his or her number
> to another carrier and then canceling the new service within the 15-day
> trial period because it didn’t work out. Can you then go back to ATTWS
> and have your account reinstated as it was?

ATT should allow you to transfer your number back in and pick up where
you left off, even if your old rate plan is out-dated and no longer
offered, assuming you do the transfer within 90 days.

If you paid an ETF to leave ATT, you would have to reinstate your
service within 40 days to get credit back for that.

Reply to this Message