AT&T to VERIZON Number Porting - Can it be done LATER or MUST DO at activation?

[amitdoc2b]

Hi.

My AT&T contract is till September 2013, but I was thinking of getting an iPhone 5 with Verizon and paying an early termination fee to AT&T. I would like to keep my current phone number on AT&T. When I open a phone plan with Verizon, can I just get a number from them for now... and then port my number from AT&T to Verizon like a week later (since I won't terminate the ATT contract till a week later) and replace the initial number Verizon gives me tomorrow...? Or do I have to port the number from AT&T to Verizon immediately when purchasing the iPhone 5 on Verizon's plan? Thank you for your help.

 

[Stankonia]

You can port your number afterward, you do not need to do it when you activate.

 

[Geckotek]

Yup, can be done at anytime....even months from now (you pay 2 phone bills in the meantime)

 

[amitdoc2b]

Yup, can be done at anytime....even months from now (you pay 2 phone bills in the meantime)

Thanks guys.. and suppose I port it a month from now... when I do actually port my number from AT&T I read on these forums before that it takes a week to port, so will the initial Verizon number they give me continue to work or will neither number work till the port is complete?

 

[Buckeyestar]

Hi.

My AT&T contract is till September 2013, but I was thinking of getting an iPhone 5 with Verizon and paying an early termination fee to AT&T. I would like to keep my current phone number on AT&T. When I open a phone plan with Verizon, can I just get a number from them for now... and then port my number from AT&T to Verizon like a week later (since I won't terminate the ATT contract till a week later) and replace the initial number Verizon gives me tomorrow...? Or do I have to port the number from AT&T to Verizon immediately when purchasing the iPhone 5 on Verizon's plan? Thank you for your help.

Why don't you just port the number when you buy the iPhone? I did and I'm still using AT&T until my iPhone arrives. My number will port over when I actually activate the phone and that will also cancel my AT&T contract.

 

[Geckotek]

Thanks guys.. and suppose I port it a month from now... when I do actually port my number from AT&T I read on these forums before that it takes a week to port, so will the initial Verizon number they give me continue to work or will neither number work till the port is complete?

It's been a while since I ported, but I don't recall it taking THAT long. But like I said, it's been a while.

The Verizon number will continue to work until the final moment you port. In fact, both numbers work.

 

[dave006]

Thanks guys.. and suppose I port it a month from now... when I do actually port my number from AT&T I read on these forums before that it takes a week to port, so will the initial Verizon number they give me continue to work or will neither number work till the port is complete?

You can port at any time as others have already indicated. Once the launch crunch is over and things return to normal for the carriers, you can expect a port to be complete in about 4 hours.

There are multiple steps in the port, once you start the port your Verizon phone will be able to make calls as if they were from your number that is being ported from AT&T. However, you will not be able to receive inbound calls on your ported number until the port is complete.

Dave

 

[llj1137075]

I'd say wait a few days. If you do it on launch day it could take some time.
Due to a lot of people transferring their number.

But it should only take a few minutes in most cases.
I've never seen one take longer than that and I've done a few hundred in the past few years.

 

[amitdoc2b]

You can port at any time as others have already indicated. Once the launch crunch is over and things return to normal for the carriers, you can expect a port to be complete in about 4 hours.

There are multiple steps in the port, once you start the port your Verizon phone will be able to make calls as if they were from your number that is being ported from AT&T. However, you will not be able to receive inbound calls on your ported number until the port is complete.

Dave

Thanks Dave. Does it cost anything to port later on or should I just do it right when I purchase the Verizon contract (which I presume is free)? And do I have to pay anything to use Verizon's "hot spot" feature on my laptop.. in other words, do I have to pay to have my laptop added onto the share plan or can I just pay for only the iPhone on the share plan and use the hot spot to share my GB data with my laptop?

 

[llj1137075]

Thanks Dave. Does it cost anything to port later on or should I just do it right when I purchase the Verizon contract (which I presume is free)? And do I have to pay anything to use Verizon's "hot spot" feature on my laptop.. in other words, do I have to pay to have my laptop added onto the share plan or can I just pay for only the iPhone on the share plan and use the hot spot to share my GB data with my laptop?

You can use the hotspot for free on the share plan.
And there is no charge for porting at any time.

 

[amitdoc2b]

You can use the hotspot for free on the share plan.
And there is no charge for porting at any time.

Then what's the point of the share plan if you can just hotspot everything for free? Why add extra lines (i.e. iPads, etc) for a cost when you can just hot spot them without adding them on?

 

[llj1137075]

Then what's the point of the share plan if you can just hotspot everything for free? Why add extra lines (i.e. iPads, etc) for a cost when you can just hot spot them without adding them on?

The iPad that you can add on is only the 3G version and instead of having a single plan with it for more money you can just use the amount you already pay for. As well as you wouldn't be able to use the hotspot while on the phone, if the iPad is on the data plan then you could use it without the iPhone being there or while the hotspot is off. If you will always have both then there wouldn't be a reason to use the 3G part to my knowledge.

I don't know of any laptops that can be added to the plan. I'm sure they sell a few netbooks that have 3G connectivity, those could be added for 10$ and then use the data that you pay for as well.

The hotspot is free to use because they allow you to pick the amount of data and use it how you would like, if you go over you pay for it by the GB or switch your plan accordingly before the month is over.

 

[amitdoc2b]

The iPad that you can add on is only the 3G version and instead of having a single plan with it for more money you can just use the amount you already pay for. As well as you wouldn't be able to use the hotspot while on the phone, if the iPad is on the data plan then you could use it without the iPhone being there or while the hotspot is off. If you will always have both then there wouldn't be a reason to use the 3G part to my knowledge.

I don't know of any laptops that can be added to the plan. I'm sure they sell a few netbooks that have 3G connectivity, those could be added for 10$ and then use the data that you pay for as well.

The hotspot is free to use because they allow you to pick the amount of data and use it how you would like, if you go over you pay for it by the GB or switch your plan accordingly before the month is over.

Thanks so much. Does Verizon give data message warnings via text message like AT&T does as you approach your monthly data limit? That's great to hear you can backdate your data plan from 2GB to 4GB before your month ends if you need more. So if you connect your laptop via Wifi, will you get LTE or 3G speeds if you live in an LTE area like NYC? And will you still be able to use your phone when its working as a hotspot or will it not work till done using it as a hotspot?

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The iPad that you can add on is only the 3G version and instead of having a single plan with it for more money you can just use the amount you already pay for. As well as you wouldn't be able to use the hotspot while on the phone, if the iPad is on the data plan then you could use it without the iPhone being there or while the hotspot is off. If you will always have both then there wouldn't be a reason to use the 3G part to my knowledge.

I don't know of any laptops that can be added to the plan. I'm sure they sell a few netbooks that have 3G connectivity, those could be added for 10$ and then use the data that you pay for as well.

The hotspot is free to use because they allow you to pick the amount of data and use it how you would like, if you go over you pay for it by the GB or switch your plan accordingly before the month is over.

Also for your 3G iPad comment.. suppose you only use 1GB of data on your ipad monthly and 1GB of data on your iPhone. Why not just NOT use the 3G on your iPad and just use it on the mobile hotspot for free from your iPhone? Then there's no need to add the iPad to the share plan for extra money. This is why I am having confusion understanding the Shared data plans.

 

[llj1137075]

Thanks so much. Does Verizon give data message warnings via text message like AT&T does as you approach your monthly data limit? That's great to hear you can backdate your data plan from 2GB to 4GB before your month ends if you need more. So if you connect your laptop via Wifi, will you get LTE or 3G speeds if you live in an LTE area like NYC? And will you still be able to use your phone when its working as a hotspot or will it not work till done using it as a hotspot?

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Also for your 3G iPad comment.. suppose you only use 1GB of data on your ipad monthly and 1GB of data on your iPhone. Why not just NOT use the 3G on your iPad and just use it on the mobile hotspot for free from your iPhone? Then there's no need to add the iPad to the share plan for extra money. This is why I am having confusion understanding the Shared data plans.

That would be the smart thing to do.
Only problem is if you ever waned to use the iPad when you didn't have the phone or if you wanted to talk on the phone while using the iPad. Since the iPhone 5 won't be able to do voice and data on CDMA.


For the warnings, I'm not sure. I think that they do, but I don't know what % they send them at. But you will get the speeds at which you are connected, if connected to 3g then the hotspot is 3g. If connected to LTE then the hotspot will be LTE.
Also in most cases connected directly is faster than being connected via the hotspot. So that could be another reason to keep data on the iPad and pay the extra 10$

 

[amitdoc2b]

That would be the smart thing to do.
Only problem is if you ever waned to use the iPad when you didn't have the phone or if you wanted to talk on the phone while using the iPad. Since the iPhone 5 won't be able to do voice and data on CDMA.


For the warnings, I'm not sure. I think that they do, but I don't know what % they send them at. But you will get the speeds at which you are connected, if connected to 3g then the hotspot is 3g. If connected to LTE then the hotspot will be LTE.
Also in most cases connected directly is faster than being connected via the hotspot. So that could be another reason to keep data on the iPad and pay the extra 10$

This has been so informative.. just one last question. Verizon share plans can be used even if you just have 1 line right? Because thats the only option I see on Apple's website for Verizon plans. The AT&T share plan states there has to be at least 2 devices on it to have a share plan, otherwise you must do individual plans.

 

[llj1137075]

This has been so informative.. just one last question. Verizon share plans can be used even if you just have 1 line right? Because thats the only option I see on Apple's website for Verizon plans. The AT&T share plan states there has to be at least 2 devices on it to have a share plan, otherwise you must do individual plans.

Correct.
As far as I know that is true.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks guys.. and suppose I port it a month from now... when I do actually port my number from AT&T I read on these forums before that it takes a week to port, so will the initial Verizon number they give me continue to work or will neither number work till the port is complete?

I plan to do the same thing as you and port a week or so later. I found this do it yourself guide to porting that looks helpful.