Please help me get my old number back!

[talnus]

Hey,

Just today, without any prior notice, Nextel switched the phone numbers, subnet, and DC numbers of everyone in my company (200+ phones). This wouldn't be a huge deal for me, but I have over 300 business cards floating around, previous clients with my old number, and 700 more cards with my old number. My company says there is no way to get my old number back. If anyone can do it, I'll paypal you $50. Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Old #: 775-745-0696
New #: 775-219-7406
Company: OC Communications

Thanks,

Chris Shaull

[bellybomberny]

don't know if they can do much about it. guess you shuold have added # guard

[gage006]

# guard? you mean nextel actaully reserves the right to change your number at any time without prior notice 0.o that's horrible...

[Next Steps]

Number Guard is for protecting your number from PORT OUTS. This has nothing to do with porting numbers to another carrier. Your number is gone. There is almost nothing you can do about it. Even if Nextel wanted the old number back, it takes a lot of backend work for Nextel to "pick" your number and put it back on your phone.

The real question is: WHY did Nextel change all the numbers and private ID's? Was it some capacity issue? I've seen some numbers change because of an area code change, but your old and new number have the same area code. So, it might have something to do with the prefix/exchange. Once you know the reason why the numbers were change, this will make a lot more sense.

But, you cant get your number back. Its gone, soon to be someone elses. Nextel's current system just doesnt allow for specific numbers to be choosen like that. Like I said, even if Nextel wanted to give you back the old number, its basically impossible for them to do it.

[vietalogy]

man that must suck!

[talnus]

I have no idea why they changed my number. We have phones all over California and Nevada with all different area codes and as I understand it everyone's number changed. They are supposedly forwarding our saved voicemail messages to the new number, but still. This is BS. I can't get anyone in Customer Service to help because it's a corporate account and I can't get the password.

Thanks for your help, though. Much appreciated.

[pw1981]

This is a violation of FCC regulations. As the number portability rules imply, the numbers belong to you until you relinquish them. There is nothing in any service provider's contracts that allow them to take an/or change your number without your permission.

File an FCC complaint immediately then notify nextel that you have done this and you will persue it to the fullest extent unless the problem is corrected.

That said, you say you can't get the account password so that implies to me that you are not an "authorized user" on the account. It is possible that your comapny's master account manager authorized this and just didn't tell the employees.

[no calls 4 me]

Something similar happened to me last year. The new number was from another city in my state, but long distance from my city. To top it off CS told me that they had no other local numbers to give me and I was stuck with a long distance number. I requested to close my account and when I got the second tier of customer retention they found me a local number, but still not my original number.

If you have a company phone you probably cannot request to close your account, but you can try to push your request up the CS line, but chances are you will not get your original number back.

[Jonmango]

I have a very hard time believing that this was done by Nextel on its own. If every number on a 200+ corporate account was changed, then it was done so at the bequest of that corporate account, namely OC Communications.

Nextel would not arbitrarily change anything on a corporate account, be it 10 or 10,000 lines in size!

[KBAM]

Wirelessly posted (i95cl LE: MOT-85/01.05 UP.Browser/4.1.26m.737 UP.Link/4.2.3.5h)

The question is how your company could let this happen to so many people and worse, allow it with no notice. Reckless and baffling... --BAM

[talnus]

That sounds a lot more like what probably happened. I'll have to take it up with my corporate office. Even if they try to get my number changed back, it sounds like it's probably not even possible. Am I correct in my thinking?

[Shadowless127]

Originally posted by Jonmango
I have a very hard time believing that this was done by Nextel on its own. If every number on a 200+ corporate account was changed, then it was done so at the bequest of that corporate account, namely OC Communications.

Nextel would not arbitrarily change anything on a corporate account, be it 10 or 10,000 lines in size!

yeah i got to agree with that.

IF they did that the chances of loosing that corp account would be really large and since your company seems to be rather big, that would not be wise in their mind

talk to the person who handles your nextel account and inquire to them about why the numbers were changed.

Although, i don't know why ANYONE would do that, especially Private IDs

[pw1981]

Originally posted by Shadowless127
Although, i don't know why ANYONE would do that, especially Private IDs

Actually, I do. Many large comapnies and such rotate cell numbers frequently to cut down on personal use of company phones. By keeping them rotating, people can't give it out to family and such.

[AJ3350]

Actually, I do. Many large comapnies and such rotate cell numbers frequently to cut down on personal use of company phones. By keeping them rotating, people can't give it out to family and such.

Took the words right out my my mouth.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I'm sorry you lost your number, but think about it from a financial view for your company. You were using you're company phone to conduct personal business. Why is it fair you're company pickup the bill?

I have a company phone as well, my AT&T line. I'm asked by the VP of my department every couple months why I carry my company phone/blackberry and a Nextel. I explain I use my company phone for business and my Nextel is my personal phone. He said that makes no sense but to me it does. Nothing can happen to my Nextel. I could lose my job tomorrow to some guy in the middle east that will do my job for half what I do it for... but I'd still have my number, on my phone. Peace of mind!

[TeeRoy]

Originally posted by talnus
That sounds a lot more like what probably happened. I'll have to take it up with my corporate office. Even if they try to get my number changed back, it sounds like it's probably not even possible. Am I correct in my thinking?

within a certain time frame the request can be made to sucessfully retrieve a phone number that was changed. just as the rep puts a request to change the phone number, there is an option to undo change. if the number was changed twice, then no.. the system can only go back one step. if the phone switched markets (market transfer) there is no turning back, the number is lost for good after a market transfer.