Port-in number needed?

[bamx2]

I need to get a port-in number to use for Cricket phone promo. In the past, I have purchased them from ebay. I have read that ports require transfer pins and other security measures, I wondered if are these still reliable ?

Alternatively, I could open a minimally funded Tracfone account or buy a preloaded sim but would rather use the port number option buy I would rather keep it simple and use one of those port-in numbers.

Also, I noticed that the Boost port numbers seem to be lower in prices and wonder why? Is Boost OK or use which other one?

[PaulCrawhorne]

Getting numbers is so cheap and straightforward I wonder why bother with eBay? Never heard of that.

NumberBarn, Talkatone app

free trials with providers - US Mobile, Ting, Boost

[energyx]

Getting numbers is so cheap and straightforward I wonder why bother with eBay? Never heard of that.

NumberBarn, Talkatone app

free trials with providers - US Mobile, Ting, Boost

Cricket is limited to most major cell providers these days. They used to accept Google Voice, but they changed it many years ago.

[WheelieBoot]

I bought a number barn number for $5 and it's probably the most spam free number I've ever owned. I ported it to H2O Wireless which runs on AT&T.

The last time I was on number barn's website the cheapest number I saw was $10. It may depend on how short the supply of numbers is in a particular area as to what they charge.

Sent from my moto g(7) optimo maxx(XT1955DL) using HoFo mobile app

[PaulCrawhorne]

Cricket is limited to most major cell providers these days. They used to accept Google Voice, but they changed it many years ago.

Are you claiming that for their regular priced plans, they do not accept ports from MVNOs?

I did not mention gV at all.

[energyx]

Are you claiming that for their regular priced plans, they do not accept ports from MVNOs?

I did not mention gV at all.

Easy. They will port from mobile providers, but not landline and VOIP. You mentioned Numberbarn and Talkatone, but unless they've changed policy recently I doubt they will accept those.

[WheelieBoot]

Easy. They will port from mobile providers, but not landline and VOIP. You mentioned Numberbarn and Talkatone, but unless they've changed policy recently I doubt they will accept those.

Number Barn sells wireline numbers as well as parking telephone numbers. The one I bought from them ported just fine to H2O.

Google Voice won't port from wireline numbers and they have to be converted to wireless numbers by porting to a cell provider first.

I think the number the OP needs is one from another cell phone service provider, not just any telephone number. Is that correct?

Sent from my moto g play (XT2093DL) using HoFo mobile app

[jet1000]

I see some terms on the Cricket website where they exclude AT&T ports from device discounts. But I don't see any other exclusions.

[PaulCrawhorne]

Easy. They will port from mobile providers, but not landline and VOIP. You mentioned Numberbarn and Talkatone, but unless they've changed policy recently I doubt they will accept those.

"They" referred to Cricket?

I was responding to

Cricket is limited to most major cell providers these days. They used to accept Google Voice, but they changed it many years ago.

[robbyrobby]

coming from retail a little on what can and cannot be ported

Boost, Metro, Cricket, etc. can port any number: landline, voip, calling app, gv and MVNO

there are more factors though

a number being able to be ported does not mean it will qualify for handset discounts promos, etc. very force full communication go out to dealer informing them to not offer any free phone promos, etc. to GV, textnow and sometimes even certain MVNO will be mentioned if the carrier has seem a large amount of 'early life churn; or customers porting with certain types of number and than leaving in the 2nd or 4rd month after activation. the carrier are very serious about charging back the rebates to dealer who complete these sales.

the numbers on eBay, etc. are known about and considered a serious problem in what the industry calls 'gaming the system' or getting free/discounted phones for re sale or simply without an intention to stick with the carrier. they often talk about investigations and how they will crack down. it is believed those numbers are obtain through fraudulent means such as hacked dealer portal logins. if you choose to buy these numbers you are likely dealing with criminal hacking groups. the guidance to dealer recently is to refuse promo if the customer does nto have a phone in their possession with the number being ported that can receive an incoming call.

some dealer may simply decline any MVNO number as a safety measure particularly if they have been getting hit with chargeback losses and if a certain handset has a limited availability anyways and so they will sell everything they can order and would prefer to pick a less risky customer(customer coming from postpaid or the other major prepaid brands like cricket, metro or Boost are much lower risk of early churn, simply a fact.)

another thing some dealers especially those with less knowledgable leadership in their stores may just have a struggle with getting ports completed from smaller less known brands that they do not regularly contact port departments from and have a solid grasp of getting past any transfer PIN, account number issues, etc. and simply find it beneficial to not get involved in porting number that may be a 'hassle' especially when they tend to be a very small part of their overall business.

my stores will port anything but landlines, VOIP apps or anything other than a number tied to a SIM cannot be used to obtain a free promo handset. i mostly suggest BYOD's for those. the actual location you go to certainly can matter.

[robbyrobby]

another thing about free port in promos:

the carriers typically do not offer free handset to customers coming from other brands owned by the same parent company for example

ATT - Cricket
T-Mobile - Metro

and also not from MVNO that resell the parent company

exceptions are made though typically for the biggest companies they see as major direct competitors. so Metro for example will offer port in promos for number coming from Boost(with a t-mobile SIM) or Tracfone(with a T-Mobile SIM) but not from tello, ultra, lyca or any of the other smaller MVNOS on T-Mobile. numbers can be ported without issue though and they will offer whatever deals they offer to 'new line' customers.

[PaulCrawhorne]

Boost, Metro, Cricket, etc. can port any number: landline, voip, calling app, gv and MVNO

That "etc" is doing a lot of work there.

Unless you mean "all MVNOs and captive subsidiaries" an actual list for which that is true would be very useful - anyone here know if such a resource?


> the numbers on eBay, etc. are known about and considered a serious problem

But why would anyone use an eBay number, when it is so cheap / free / easy to just get them from other providers? With my gFi account it is instant online and literally less than a dollar total cost, including satisfying this:

> have a phone in their possession with the number being ported that can receive an incoming call



> a number being able to be ported does not mean it will qualify for handset discounts promos, etc. very force full communication go out to dealer informing them to not offer any free phone promos, etc. to GV, textnow and sometimes even certain MVNO

I've never used a dealer, in decades now. Is there any reason to for someone on a budget?


> another thing some dealers especially those with less knowledgable leadership in their stores may just have a struggle with getting ports completed from smaller less known brands

another good reason to avoid ever stepping into a store

[robbyrobby]

dealers typically have the very best handset port in deals. consistently $ 250 - $ 500 free when you port and often BOGO that give you 2 free device porting one number

a few years ago even as the companies were aware of people getting phones to resell we were being advised to 'take the sale no matter what' at that stage they were not yet issuing chargeback to dealers and people were driving all over town porting numbers between cricket, metro and boost and than selling the phones on eBay or shipping overseas. some were making thousands of dollar a day doing this. the merger approval of T-Mobile and Sprint was the moment everything changed.

some dealers were doing it as well pretending fake customers were coming into the stores. many of them got busted and had their stores terminated and have been subjected to lawsuits.

other dealers were not involved directly but had employees who were 'too friendly' with the buyers 'gaming the system' and the dealers were held responsible for not doing enough to prevent the bad sales

[PaulCrawhorne]

Were your stores on a Sprint MVNO ?

[robbyrobby]

Were your stores on a Sprint MVNO ?

i have sold just about everything over the years including Boost which was not an MVNO but a brand of Sprint before merger with t-mobile and later spin off to DISH