Porting Google Voice # to ATT?

[SeniorGato1]

Now that it's available, has anyone contact ATT if they will be charged ETF's?

IMO, it doesn't make sense to charge the consumer if you're exchanging your existing GV # with ATT's?

http://www.google.com/support/voice/...answer=1065667

[Carl G35c]

Originally Posted by SeniorGato1

Now that it's available, has anyone contact ATT if they will be charged ETF's?

IMO, it doesn't make sense to charge the consumer if you're exchanging your existing GV # with ATT's?

http://www.google.com/support/voice/...answer=1065667

you want to take your att# and bring it to GV? then you wouldn't have service with att, so yea they will charge you an ETF.

[SeniorGato1]

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)

[Carl G35c]

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

[frunkis54]

doesn't that defeat the purpose of having google voice?

[Interstella5555]

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.

[Carl G35c]

Originally Posted by frunkis54

doesn't that defeat the purpose of having google voice?

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

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

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.

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]

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.

Originally Posted by Carl G35c

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

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

[Carl G35c]

Originally Posted by frunkis54

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.

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

[mikeheenan]

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?

[Aatos.1]

In this case I'd call AT&T, or you could be in for quite a surprise. $$$$$

[frunkis54]

Originally Posted by mikeheenan

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?

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]

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]

Originally Posted by SeniorGato1

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)

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]

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

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.

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]

Originally Posted by Interstella5555

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.

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]

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]

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.

[TB07-NJ]

Originally Posted by Geckotek

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 #?

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]

Originally Posted by TB07-NJ

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).

Did you reactivate with a new #?

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

[ilovemyibook]

Originally Posted by DirtySocks85

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.

I'm from Wichita! Small world.

[MarkF52]

Originally Posted by Geckotek

Did you reactivate with a new #?

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

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.

[bubb]

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...-google-voice/

[parag.garg]

Originally Posted by DirtySocks85

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.

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.

[SAD*FACED*CLOWN]

Originally Posted by frunkis54

doesn't that defeat the purpose of having google voice?

what I was thinking....