Walmart Straight Talk Users/Customers BEWARE!!!

**Mrcricket23** · 07-27-2012, 11:09 AM

Sorry to hear about the number Bill, unfortunately that's how it works though with ST. Same thing with Cricket & Metropcs.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

**annepani** · 07-27-2012, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by johnhere

I considered straight talk at one time but they sound like more trouble than it's worth in cases like this.

What company did you choose instead?

**johnhere** · 07-27-2012, 11:17 AM

Ended up keeping verizon and a work phone with AT&T

**pzwnyc** · 07-27-2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by labjr

IMO what needs to happen is this country is congress needs to pass a consumer protection law regarding phone numbers. The consumer should own their phone number and be responsible for porting their own numbers when changing carriers. Sort of like redirecting a web site. This way the phone companies can't lose your number or hold it hostage if you have a dispute.

If you search my previous posts, I referenced a court decision stating that ownership belongs to the telcos; not you. You only have "the right" to port your assigned number, nothing more.

**xxwildbillxx** · 07-27-2012, 01:21 PM

Okay just noticed two (repeat) PM's from "SaraST" (Official StraightTalk Representative)... She mentioned she has seen this thread and would like to look into the matter further if I would please provide my Name, Straight Talk phone number, phone's serial number and an alternate number for ST to call me in the event that they need to troubleshoot my phone. The contact email address ends with @straighttalk.com. Looks legitimate enough and I don't have much to lose... can anyone confirm "SaraST" (Official StraightTalk Representative)?

**gate115** · 07-27-2012, 01:27 PM

Again sorry for your number loss man. So can anyone comment on how to prevent this from happening to anyone else?

My wife just ported her cell number to ST.

If you just add to your reserve monthly and do not abuse data, will that 100% keep you from loosing your number?

**johnhere** · 07-27-2012, 01:44 PM

I've had a number since 95 that I would hate to lose.

**oldnoob** · 07-27-2012, 01:48 PM

Don't know Sara, but I do know that ST reps lurk in this forum. They never do anything out in the open, they always do their thing in the background by PMs and phone calls. While I don't have any personal experience with Sara, the MO sounds legit.

Did you get a chance to try the manager phone number from the other thread?

**labjr** · 07-27-2012, 04:13 PM

I wish MNVOs like Straight Talk would get involved in a law which allows people to own their phone number. or at least to lock it in like a in like a domain name. This way they don't have to deal with these kind of problems.

**xxwildbillxx** · 07-27-2012, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by gate115

If you just add to your reserve monthly and do not abuse data, will that 100% keep you from loosing your number?

As I understand it (so far) the only time you risk losing a phone number with ST is...

1) You mail a ST phone in for a warranty exchange and in the shuffle of the the warranty process... once they swap phones and reassign you a new serial number... your original phone number may be as good as gone!

2) You let a phone within your ST account go dormant/you let the air time run out, the less options you have available. The longer it sits like this, the higher the risk.

3) The porting process may also work best when both ST phones (the porter and the portee) are active/have some air time remaining.

4) As for abusing data with ST... you (allegedly) receive one warning... any additional abuse and ST (allegedly) closes your account. IMHO... it would make much better business sense for ST to simply "gate" back or slow down a users data speeds each time they meet or exceed ST's data caps.

**xxwildbillxx** · 07-27-2012, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by labjr

I wish MNVOs like Straight Talk would get involved in a law which allows people to own their phone number. or at least to lock it in like a in like a domani name. This way they don't have to deal with these kind of problems.

Agreed, and even though I don't necessarily need to own my cell phone number(s) (especially if a substantial yearly fee were involved) ... I would consider it if it would help resolve some of the current snags!

**xxwildbillxx** · 07-27-2012, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by oldnoob

Did you get a chance to try the manager phone number from the other thread?

Not yet... since the email option was offered first, I decided to give SaraST a chance. The manager lead sounds like a fine idea... I'll try it next if the email route comes up short. And since its late Friday afternoon/early evening already, it's probably better to let this go until early next week when everyone's back in position.

**gate115** · 07-27-2012, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by xxwildbillxx

As I understand it (so far) the only time you risk losing a phone number with ST is...

1) You mail a ST phone in for a warranty exchange and in the shuffle of the the warranty process... once they swap phones and reassign you a new serial number... your original phone number may be as good as gone!

2) You let a phone within your ST account go dormant/you let the air time run out, the less options you have available. The longer it sits like this, the higher the risk.

3) The porting process may also work best when both ST phones (the porter and the portee) are active/have some air time remaining.

4) As for abusing data with ST... you (allegedly) receive one warning... any additional abuse and ST (allegedly) closes your account. IMHO... it would make much better business sense for ST to simply "gate" back or slow down a users data speeds each time they meet or exceed ST's data caps.

hi, thank you for your info and reply.

I called the corporate # (the 305 one) and spoke to a nice, English as first language, person. I asked her about how long do you have till your number is given away if the account lapses with no funds. She stated "30 days but there is no guarantee". I have had a friend that went like 45 days and reactivated it with the same number. Seems when you dont give a S**T about the number, its safe and when you do, it isnt. Go figure.

All and all still a shame to lose a number after so many years. I'd freak actually. dam.

**labjr** · 07-27-2012, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by xxwildbillxx

Agreed, and even though I don't necessarily need to own my cell phone number(s) (especially if a substantial yearly fee were involved) ... I would consider it if it would help resolve some of the current snags!

Someone shouldn't be able to lose their number over a phone card than runs out. They shouldn't be able to lose it over data usage either. Especially since there is no clear cut policy on what is considered abuse. The companies shouldn't have the right to take and keep or dispose of your phone number under any circumstances. There's two sides to a dispute. Why do they get to take your phone number hostage?

**xxwildbillxx** · 07-27-2012, 06:43 PM

Spoke a bit soon... just got a call from a ST rep. She received my email and was pretty much attempting the same thing the previous 3 ST reps tried on Thursday ... Unfortunately, as soon as she was about to confirm resetting my phone to port my old number... we lost the connection... perhaps they'll call back. Maybe the 3rd port attempt or the 4th port attempt will be the charm(?)