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Porting Google Voice # to ATT?

S

SeniorGato1

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 28, 2010
219
11
I have 2 numbers. 1 is GV, that I hardly use and the other is ATT. I simply want to swap them and keep my current ATT contract.

This will allow for 2 major benefits (on my original ATT #):
1) Free unlimited texting
2) Google's enhanced visual voicemail (accessible via any PC)
 
C

Carl G35c

macrumors 6502
Aug 14, 2008
488
0
well when you port out, it automatically closes the acct. You will need to have it reactivated by att for them to not charge an etf.


Might want to call att for them to notate on the acct before you do anything. I did this years ago with another carrier. It took a decent rep that knew what they were doing to accomplish this.

make sure you your contract date doesnt get extended. Check it before and after it is done
 
Interstella5555

Interstella5555

macrumors 603
Jun 30, 2008
5,219
13
How does Google voice handle area codes? AFAIK carriers won't let you port a number with a different area code that your billing area (meaning when I moved to DC from IN I couldn't port my full number since I was switching area code regions). Something to think about as well.
 
C

Carl G35c

macrumors 6502
Aug 14, 2008
488
0
frunkis54 said:
doesn't that defeat the purpose of having google voice?
Click to expand...

the OP can move their actual cell number to google voice (who offers free texting) to save $$

Interstella5555 said:
How does Google voice handle area codes? AFAIK carriers won't let you port a number with a different area code that your billing area (meaning when I moved to DC from IN I couldn't port my full number since I was switching area code regions). Something to think about as well.
Click to expand...

I dont think google cared where I lived when I signed up for GV. they just asked for my zip to assign a local number. I think I could have given them any zip
 
frunkis54

frunkis54

macrumors 65816
Apr 2, 2009
1,346
0
ok let me try again you want to port your att number to google voice? yes google voice offers that now. then that would move your old number to your new GV number if you are planing on staying with att they would have to give you a new number or if you go to verizon you would still get another number from verizon. but you would use your GV number.

you cant have just a google voice number and not cell phone number.
Carl G35c said:
the OP can move their actual cell number to google voice (who offers free texting) to save $$
Click to expand...


but you still have to have a cell number assigned to your phone.
 
C

Carl G35c

macrumors 6502
Aug 14, 2008
488
0
frunkis54 said:
ok let me try again you want to port your att number to google voice? yes google voice offers that now. then that would move your old number to your new GV number if you are planing on staying with att they would have to give you a new number or if you go to verizon you would still get another number from verizon. but you would use your GV number.

you cant have just a google voice number and not cell phone number.



but you still have to have a cell number assigned to your phone.
Click to expand...

correct, they would be assign a new # from att. They would still need to have whatever minimum minutes needed along with data (in order to use GV). This is just away out of having to pay for a text package
 
M

mikeheenan

macrumors 6502
Aug 8, 2007
305
15
If your port your number, and people who send texts to your ATT number, when you respond back to them, will they see your google voice number or your old number?
 
frunkis54

frunkis54

macrumors 65816
Apr 2, 2009
1,346
0
mikeheenan said:
If your port your number, and people who send texts to your ATT number, when you respond back to them, will they see your google voice number or your old number?
Click to expand...

if you text from the iphone text app they will see your iphone number. if you text from the google voice app or the web app they will see you google voice number.
 
techiegirl

techiegirl

macrumors 65816
Sep 7, 2007
1,242
297
If you do that, would you still be able to take advantage of the Mobile to Mobile minutes? Wouldn't all your calls to your cell phone be from your Google Voice #?
 
Rodimus Prime

Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
SeniorGato1 said:
I have 2 numbers. 1 is GV, that I hardly use and the other is ATT. I simply want to swap them and keep my current ATT contract.

This will allow for 2 major benefits (on my original ATT #):
1) Free unlimited texting
2) Google's enhanced visual voicemail (accessible via any PC)
Click to expand...

just FYI you do not need to port you number over to be able to use Google VVM. I have been using Google VVM on my AT&T phone for quite a while now.
 
critic81

critic81

macrumors regular
Oct 6, 2008
210
37
Massachusetts
Interstella5555 said:
How does Google voice handle area codes? AFAIK carriers won't let you port a number with a different area code that your billing area (meaning when I moved to DC from IN I couldn't port my full number since I was switching area code regions). Something to think about as well.
Click to expand...

Just for future reference. What you are stating is incorrect. I just went through this. I ported over my wifes t-mobile jersey number to my account with a family plan in MA. At first they say they can't do that, but if you persist they just really need managers approval and have the manager do it. It can be done. It is a pain in the A$$. Just a future reference for you.
 
DirtySocks85

DirtySocks85

macrumors 65816
Mar 12, 2009
1,441
82
Wichita, KS
Interstella5555 said:
How does Google voice handle area codes? AFAIK carriers won't let you port a number with a different area code that your billing area (meaning when I moved to DC from IN I couldn't port my full number since I was switching area code regions). Something to think about as well.
Click to expand...

Unless policies have changed I've never had a problem with this. I got a phone with VZW in 2003 with the area code 785 (Northern Kansas), and had that number as I moved around KS and changed my billing address a few times, including moving to a new area code (Wichita, 316). When I switched to AT&T from VZW in 2009 (to get an iPhone 3G), I just went online and ordered the iPhone and service with a request to port my number. A week later my iPhone showed up in the mail, I activated it, consequently canceling my VZW service and paying the ETF with them. I still have a 785 # despite the fact that I'm in a 316 billing area.
 
JRoDDz

JRoDDz

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2009
1,927
183
NYC
As I understand it, you cannot only have a google voice number on your cell phone.

You will need a number provided from AT&T. If you port your AT&T number to GV, your AT&T account will be terminated.

Google voice is not a replacement cell service.
 
Geckotek

Geckotek

macrumors G3
Jul 22, 2008
8,768
308
NYC
I called yesterday trying to swap numbers on contracts. No go.

Anybody got any ideas? I have a family plan with 2 lines. I don't need both of them. But the # I want to port out is the one I renewed for the iPhone 4 (I got tired of wating on GV to enable porting) so it will cost more to cancel that one.

Someone mentioned that if you cancel a contract and then re-activate it that AT&T will reverse the charges. So can you port out the number, then call AT&T and ask them to reactivate on a new #?

If none of this works perhaps I'll just sell the AT&T iPhone to cover the cancellation and get the Verizon iPhone. :D
 
RetiredInFl

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Jul 7, 2008
2,422
237
FORMERLY NJ now FL
Geckotek said:
Someone mentioned that if you cancel a contract and then re-activate it that AT&T will reverse the charges. So can you port out the number, then call AT&T and ask them to reactivate on a new #?
Click to expand...
You can reactivate within 60 days but they will charge you a $36 reactivation fee (which I was able to get credited back because my FAN has no "activation" fees).
 
Geckotek

Geckotek

macrumors G3
Jul 22, 2008
8,768
308
NYC
TB07-NJ said:
You can reactivate within 60 days but they will charge you a $36 reactivation fee (which I was able to get credited back because my FAN has no "activation" fees).
Click to expand...

Did you reactivate with a new #?

Same with my FAN so that's good to hear.
 
I

ilovemyibook

macrumors 6502
Mar 19, 2006
254
8
DirtySocks85 said:
Unless policies have changed I've never had a problem with this. I got a phone with VZW in 2003 with the area code 785 (Northern Kansas), and had that number as I moved around KS and changed my billing address a few times, including moving to a new area code (Wichita, 316). When I switched to AT&T from VZW in 2009 (to get an iPhone 3G), I just went online and ordered the iPhone and service with a request to port my number. A week later my iPhone showed up in the mail, I activated it, consequently canceling my VZW service and paying the ETF with them. I still have a 785 # despite the fact that I'm in a 316 billing area.
Click to expand...

I'm from Wichita! Small world.
 
M

MarkF52

macrumors newbie
Aug 13, 2008
7
0
Geckotek said:
Did you reactivate with a new #?

Same with my FAN so that's good to hear.
Click to expand...

I'd like to know too. I actually just called about this today and they confirmed that I could reactivate the account but the person I spoke with said that I would need to port my number back to do it.
 
B

bubb

macrumors newbie
Feb 6, 2012
1
0
California
I actually just went through this, except I ported my number from T-Mobile to Google Voice and am using Google Voice on my AT&T iPhone.

T-Mobile does not charge a reactivation fee, and there is no ETF as long as you reactivate the line and get a new number within a certain amount of time (at least a month).

One thing to note though: Porting a number takes some time. If this is your main number you may want to be careful and inform your main contacts because texting to the number you are porting will not work for 24 hours - 72 hours.

I have a timeline of my porting on my blog: http://nonrevenue.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/iphone-4s-and-google-voice/
 
P

parag.garg

macrumors newbie
Feb 4, 2013
1
0
Google voice to AT&T (different region)

DirtySocks85 said:
Unless policies have changed I've never had a problem with this. I got a phone with VZW in 2003 with the area code 785 (Northern Kansas), and had that number as I moved around KS and changed my billing address a few times, including moving to a new area code (Wichita, 316). When I switched to AT&T from VZW in 2009 (to get an iPhone 3G), I just went online and ordered the iPhone and service with a request to port my number. A week later my iPhone showed up in the mail, I activated it, consequently canceling my VZW service and paying the ETF with them. I still have a 785 # despite the fact that I'm in a 316 billing area.
Click to expand...

I'm leaving in Akron, OH (area code 330), even my billing address of AT&T is for here. I have a Google voice number of San Diego County, California (area code 858). I am in a 2-year contract and want to port my Google voice number to AT&T within the current contract. How can I do that? Please help. Thank you.
 
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