WLNP Confusion

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Shawn - 17 Nov 2003 14:50 GMT

I'm interested in purchasing a phone and service online from a 3rd
party vendor, but the information I've received from them seems to
indicate they will not be offering WLNP through their site. The
Amazon.com site (I'm not purchasing through them) indicates that a
phone can be purchased and activated, and on the 24th, simply call up
T-Mobile and have them switch your number from your old carrier to
T-Mobile (assuming that your old service is still active). I've
contacted T-Mobile several times in the past week, and they give me
conflicting information, but they "recommend" a phone should be
purchased and activated through them after the 24th in order to
qualify for portability. Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase
a phone now, have it activated with the random number that typically
gets assigned, and then have my number transferred from my current
carrier?

Reply to this Message

Scott Stephenson - 17 Nov 2003 16:06 GMT

> I'm interested in purchasing a phone and service online from a 3rd
> party vendor, but the information I've received from them seems to
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> gets assigned, and then have my number transferred from my current
> carrier?

AFAIK, there are no FCC restrictions regarding this. WNLP states that if
you have a phone# with carrier A, and want to switch to carrier B, you can
take the number with you. Sounds like T-mo trying to sell you a phone.

Reply to this Message

Matthew - 17 Nov 2003 16:21 GMT

>I'm interested in purchasing a phone and service online from a 3rd
>party vendor, but the information I've received from them seems to
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>gets assigned, and then have my number transferred from my current
>carrier?

In theory it should be possible, but considering it's all new, there
are bound to be kinks in the system at first. WLNP will be great but
I'd recommend waiting for at least a few weeks after the 24th for
things to normalize.

Matthew

matthew at the dash stevens dot us

Reply to this Message

Doug - 17 Nov 2003 16:51 GMT

> Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase
>a phone now, have it activated with the random number that typically
>gets assigned, and then have my number transferred from my current
>carrier?

Word is yes, but I haven't seen anything definitive. The horses mouth
may have to speak on this, so call T-Mo before taking the plunge.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=237085
http://www.t-mobile.com/switch/default.asp
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=233504

Doug

Reply to this Message

Jaymes Littlehayles - 18 Nov 2003 03:22 GMT

As I understand it from various sources... Porting is old number to new
service... not old number to existing service of any kind

In otherwards need to establish new line of service with otehr carrier to
carry number over... not change an existing line of service to the old
number...

Reply to this Message

O/Siris - 25 Nov 2003 08:08 GMT

In article <60692da1.0311170650.3dcc1941
@posting.google.com>, Shawngertk5@hotmail.com says...

Shawn, obviously, I can't speak for T-Mobile, but I *can*
tell you Sprint PCS has procedures to moving a ported-in
number to its own subscription, *or* to "take over" an
existing one. So I don't see anything in the WLNP mandate
itself to stop you.

Signature

-+-
RØß
O/Siris
I work for SprintPCS
I *don't* speak for them.

Reply to this Message