I'm thinking of porting my landline number to VOIP service. However, I'm afraid that during the switchover someone may screw up and cause my beloved phone number to be recycled and given to someone else.
So, is there a way to purchase or own a local number outright, just like one can register (and own) a domain name? So that no matter how phone companies screw up, the number cannot be "lost" or reassigned to someone else?
There is a round about way. You have to be willing to spend a little money to do it.
Contact the company that issues the number you want.
Get them to use that number to set up a voice mail box for you.
You generally have to keep the service for thirty days before you can port it. Check and see what the policy is but do it after the box is in service.
After thirty days (or whatever that particular carrier requires), apply to the company that you want to use the number for and port it to them.
I did this with Qwest and ported it to my former VOIP provider without any problem. I've since ported it to yet another VOIP provider.
Good luck,
Fred
You are well-advised to port only between wireline/wireline, wireline/wireless, or wireless/wireless. And, even there you must do it correctly, or you can lose the number (which you never really ever "own.")
I've ported a number of times and I have never lost a number. Regards,
Fred
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