Question about dropping a line that is out of contract?

[ibis ghost]

I've currently have a ATT Business account with 4 iPhones.

They are:
iPhone 5S-out of contract
iPhone 5-still under contract May 2015 ETF $95
iPhone 5C-still under contract (next plan)
iPhone 4S-still under contract June 2015 ETF $175

My iPhone 5S is currently out of contract and I'd like to keep the phone number but I believe they are wrong with it being out of contract, its the newest phone. I think we used another phone line to get the iPhone 5S upgrade and switched SIM cards.

Anyways, they told me I can't get rid of this phone or I'd lose the number. I'd like to somehow keep the phone number but I need to get rid of one of the phones off of the account. I downsized the company and do not need the phone any longer.

The one ATT representative said only way I could keep the number is port it over to another carrier. I don't want to go to another carrier as I'm fine with ATT, I just want to get rid of one of the phones off of the account but keep 3 phone numbers.

Ideas or comments?

 

[deeddawg]

AT&T won't let you swap the number between two lines?

Just thinking out of the box, what if you port the number out to Google Voice and then forward it to one of the remaining three lines? Maybe even see if you can later then port it back in to replace one of the lines? Careful though, do some research, I've read of a couple instances of issues in porting a # out to GV but have no sense of how common that might be)

 

[deeddawg]

Just noticed you mentioned Next on the 5C line. Is it that the line is under contract or that the phone is on an installment plan? What would be the impact of just paying off the remaining balance on the 5C to free the line, move the 5C to the line the 4S is on (retaining contract). Net effect is you retire the 4S phone, put the paid off 5C on the line the 4S was on, and keep the 5S where it is.

 

[rui no onna]

Just noticed you mentioned Next on the 5C line. Is it that the line is under contract or that the phone is on an installment plan? What would be the impact of just paying off the remaining balance on the 5C to free the line, move the 5C to the line the 4S is on (retaining contract). Net effect is you retire the 4S phone, put the paid off 5C on the line the 4S was on, and keep the 5S where it is.

This is what I'd do if the the 5c line isn't under contract.

 

[ibis ghost]

The 5C is under the Next plan and still in contract. This phone is only a few months old as I just got it for an employee that didn't work out. But I'm using it as my main work phone now with a new "vanity" number.