Can't port from GoPhone to Airvoice

[Zenara25]

My Gophone account refill expires on 6/28. Decided I would switch to Airvoice since I have an iPhone and want to be able to check my email without paying for an extra data plan. Purchased an Airvoice SIM card and refill card also. So I got all the info from AT&T on 6/21 account# etc. (That was probably my mistake because it let AT&T know what I was planning). Went to the airvoice website and filled in the info to start the port.

Waited til 6/25 and emailed airvoice to check the status. They said they were unable to port the number because another port request was open with another carrier. I never requested any other port except airvoice. So airvoice said call AT&T and see if they have an open port request from another carrier and have them cancel the request. So I called AT&T and they said there are no open port requests from airvoice or any other carrier. AT&T got airvoice on the phone and that resulted in no change. Airvoice said to call them back once the issue has been resolved. AT&T then said that Verizon made a port request. So AT&T called verizon. Verizon said they had no port requests for my number. AT&T then asks me why I'm switching and tries to get me to take a look at their plans.

I ask for a supervisor and he tells me there's nothing he can do. I might have to get a different phone # or stay with AT&T. He then says that he will look into their porting department and get back with me within 24-72hrs. I get his first nam and ID #

I feel like losing my number and selling my iphone and going to a completely different carrier (not even airvoice) at this point so AT&T won't get any more of my money (even if I don't use much anyway).

[gedster314]

Why does anyone port to another phone company??? Port to Google Voice, pay the $20 and never port again. Just have GV forward to any number you tell it to. Besides, the Google Voice automatic voice to text transcriptions provide hours of entertainment. Sometimes a bad transcription just brightens my day.

Edit,

I just checked my GoPhone number with GV and it claimed it qualified to be ported.

[Zenara25]

I really don't have to port. I have Ooma VOIP telephone service. I give everyone that number (except the 3 most important people who have both numbers) and have Ooma multiring both my home and cell phone. It's more the principle of the matter that AT&T should allow the port and not try and force you to stay with them.

[efparri]

Since Air Voice and GoPhone are on the same carrier, this is not a true port. Your number is simply being transferred to another MVNO using the same network.

[msrhulot]

Sub'd as I may look into doing this for my wife's iPhone. OP plz let us know where you get w/this. The FCC has pretty strict rules about how porting is supposed to go, I think providers have 1 business day now.

EFP, even though they're on the same network, they're legally distinct entities, I would expect the porting to honor that?

[efparri]

The MVNOs are not true carriers. They operate at the pleasure of the underlying real carriers.

[msrhulot]

^ OK thanks for clarifying. Soo I guess the question remains as to how one can port over to an MVNO on the same carrier's network?

[Zenara25]

I decided to set up a different phone # with airvoice. It is working great BTW. My AT&T account cell phone # will stay active until 8/27/2012. So I have 2 months to find out if AT&T will port over. I also contacted BBB to let them know what was happening. I'll see if AT&T responds back. 48hrs left before the supervisor said he'd contact me.

[newcronos]

^ OK thanks for clarifying. Soo I guess the question remains as to how one can port over to an MVNO on the same carrier's network?

There should be no difference whatsoever. I ported a line from ATT to H2O by using the standard procedure.

I'm not sure why efparri needed to clarify what is a true port and not. While it may be true, it's confusing the OP's issue. As customers, this is irrelevant to us.

[Zenara25]

BBB was the way to go. I received a call this eve from a representative in the AT&T office of the president. He looked into why the port was not working. For some reason when I ported from Verizon to AT&T way back in 2008 there was an issue that made it look like a port request was open from Verizon. The rep said it should work now and if it doesn't to call him back. He gave me his number if there are any issues.

I was able to port my number to airvoice. Good thing I bought 2 sim cards (on ebay for $1 shipped each) because airvoice can't use the same sim card for a different number. Airvoice moved my minutes over to my ported number and 2nd sim card. Everything is all done. Glad that's over.

[CeluGeek]

I ported from Go Phone to Straight Talk using the standard procedures. You do have to call Go Phone CS and ask them for your account number but as I've read, it seems the OP had already done that.

(And in case anybody is curious, yes I ported from Straight Talk back to Go Phone.)

[Zenara25]

Update:
My airvoice temporary number worked just fine with data (once I went to unlockit). Once I ported my AT&T gophone number over to airvoice the data stopped working (I removed the unlockit and reinstalled). I'm buying another airvoice sim and testing by getting another number for $10 to see if the data will work. If it does work I'm giving up my old gophone number which AT&T must be blocking me from getting data.

[Zenara25]

So got the new SIM card. Created a new account/cell # with airvoice for $10 and data works. So either AT&T is able to block my original number from accessing data even while I'm on airvoice. Or there's a 'notation on my cell phone number' from AT&T so airvoice knows to block my original number from getting data.

Anyone else having issues with a ported number being blocked from accessing data?

And is this legal that airvoice or AT&T is clearly blocking my 'ported' cell phone number from accessing data?

[phonejunkie.org]

Do you really think that ATT and Airvoice are really blocking your data from working? After AT&T presidents office obviously cleared things up and got to the bottom line of things I don't believe they would intentionally block data knowing your going to get service with Airvoice anyway but if you honestly believe they are doing it intentionally I would definitely call the president of ATTs office back and let them know everything you have been through and call the BBB and make a complaint against Airvoice. I would at least call and talk to technical support before making these claims they are intentionally blocking your data on one of your numbers.