Re: Porting a cell phone number question

Toot1920 · ‎07-22-2018

@Susic, if you already know what carrier that you want to change to and they have a store near you, go there and they can answer your questions. You can also get your phone from there. You can order your phone from Apple online, choosing the carrier of your choice, and it will be sent to you. Verizon, T-Mobile, and others have stores or can do everything over the phone.

Tori3569 · ‎06-27-2010

@Toot1920 wrote:
@Susic, if you already know what carrier that you want to change to and they have a store near you, go there and they can answer your questions. You can also get your phone from there. You can order your phone from Apple online, choosing the carrier of your choice, and it will be sent to you. Verizon, T-Mobile, and others have stores or can do everything over the phone.

Exactly what I was going to write. Easier and less crowded to go to the carrier's store.

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

My experience last year with the Apple Store, is that they can't or won't help you switch carriers. Same setup, old carrier, new phone, new carrier. The new carrier could switch us over.

Susic · ‎04-02-2013

Well, I thought it would be best to get phone at Apple Store. Then was told to keep my current cell number, I would have to notify tracfone to release my number, and get some code number, and supply it to the new carrier. Apparently this could take up to several days. Maybe i will just get a new phone number. Much easier ! Thank you all for taking time to respond. Susi.

azgal · ‎03-09-2010

Sometimes carriers offer great deals on phones, if you switch to them. I don't think you will get a deal at the Apple store.

“We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” Abraham Lincoln

zebra9 · ‎10-14-2021

Last year I bought an IPhone and converted from Trafone to TMoble. After buying my IPphone at an Apple Store, I went to the TMobile store, They required a Tracffone a.ccount number in addition to the phone number. Since I bought the Tracfone from QVC, I had only the QVC invoice and could not comply. Rather than deal with Tracfone, I switched to a new phone number.

I would recommend contacting your new carrier to determine everything you need for the conversion before going to the new carrier's store.

Susic · ‎04-02-2013

@zebra9 Thank you! I think just getting a new number will be easiest. I will be getting rid of land line soon and will have to change my contact numbers with everyone anyway. Tracfone has been great for me, but time to upgrade.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

I'd leave it to your new provider. If you cancel your service with Tracfone in advance, they may reassign your number before the port makes place. There's a third-party firm that oversees porting to "simplify" things, but there can be issues if the customer tries to help. Leave it to the pros who do it every day.

You'll want your current phone number that you want to port. Bringing the phone with you is wise. Your account number/pin/password. Your physical address, not a PO Box. You'll be asked to call your provider or provide a written letter of your intent to port. (There's typically a simple form to sign while at the provider.)

When I worked for Frontier Communications we had a customer who'd left our service for another company. He'd dropped us as his phone provider first then went shopping for a new provider. We were supposed to hold old numbers for sixty days before reusing them but for some reason, we'd given this old number to a new customer almost immediately. When his new provider tried to reclaim his old number it was already in use by someone else. It was a multi-hour nightmare with calls to every party involved to try and get it sorted out and the old customer his old phone number back. I handled that call and it wasn't fun. Trust those who do this every day to handle it. Just leave everything in their hands. If our former customer hadn't tried to do stuff on his own, things would have been much smoother. It ended up taking hours to get it all sorted out and everyone happy. Just go to your new provider with your old phone in hand and they should be able to get it all done in short order without trouble. You'll typically have the transfer done in a day or two, but it can take up to ten days, so keep your old phone active until you know the transfer is completed.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

cheriere · ‎12-01-2023

@Kachina624 lol, calling tracfone is always a NIGHTMARE too!!!

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

@Susic wrote:
@zebra9 Thank you! I think just getting a new number will be easiest. I will be getting rid of land line soon and will have to change my contact numbers with everyone anyway. Tracfone has been great for me, but time to upgrade.

probably the best plan