Transfer Landline to pre-paid sim then GV?

[summitRun]

Hopefully posting in the right area for this...

I would like to xfer a landline that is currently with ATT (small business) to ultimately end up on Google Voice. My understanding is that it is not possible to port a landline directly to GV because they only port cell phone numbers.

I dont want to port to my regular ATT cell plan because I dont want two lines and the added cost. So my thought was to port to a pre-paid phone or possibly just a sim (dont need the device)...wait a few days for things to take hold and then initiate the port to GV. I do not use the landline for anything other than forwarding calls to my cell phone via alternate answer. Its costing me +/- $50 mo right now but I dont want to give up this number because its been associated with my business for 10+ years.

Has anyone attempted this and had good results? What carrier did you port to and is there any advantage to using one or the other. Also a bit concerned that its a Small Business Account vs Residential.

ANy comments or suggestions are appreciated

 

[miles01110]

The entire point of Google Voice is that you don't have to "port" anything. Calls can be forwarded to a land line when people dial your GV number. If you want to get rid of your land line, simply point your GV number at your new phone number.

If you want to keep your old phone number (the one tied to the land line) I suggest just biting the bullet and tell your contacts to dial your GV number instead. It's a lot easier to correct people with e-mails containing your new number than it is to do what you are suggesting.

 

[summitRun]

The entire point of Google Voice is that you don't have to "port" anything. Calls can be forwarded to a land line when people dial your GV number. If you want to get rid of your land line, simply point your GV number at your new phone number.

If you want to keep your old phone number (the one tied to the land line) I suggest just biting the bullet and tell your contacts to dial your GV number instead. It's a lot easier to correct people with e-mails containing your new number than it is to do what you are suggesting.

Thanks for the reply. I should clarify that I don't yet have GV (I do have a gmail account) so I dont actually have a GV number. What I was hoping to do is port my landline number to GV and establish it as my GV number. Is that putting the cart before the horse? I thought you could sign up for GV but not choose a number right away?? Unfortunately you cant port landlines directly to GV, hence my idea to to port to a pre-paid sim/device first

In the end I just want an inexpensive way to keep the number...even if its just a voice mailbox that i can access.

Anyone else have ideas?

 

[mdhwoods]

It needs to be a prepaid that can receive calls as you have to confirm the port on the phone. So get a pre pay, port your home phone to it. Wait a day or so for the port to happen. Once it happens you can port it to GV. Yes i have personally done this and it worked just fine. Pretty sure I did it with an ATT pay as you go but i cant remember for sure.

 

[summitRun]

It needs to be a prepaid that can receive calls as you have to confirm the port on the phone. So get a pre pay, port your home phone to it. Wait a day or so for the port to happen. Once it happens you can port it to GV. Yes i have personally done this and it worked just fine. Pretty sure I did it with an ATT pay as you go but i cant remember for sure.

Cool, thanks for the tip about confirming on the phone. I've got an old BB Curve that I can use for the pre-paid sim. Just hoping ATT plays nice with the port Did you already have a GV number or did you use the ported number to set it up?

 

[mdhwoods]

Cool, thanks for the tip about confirming on the phone. I've got an old BB Curve that I can use for the pre-paid sim. Just hoping ATT plays nice with the port Did you already have a GV number or did you use the ported number to set it up?

I had one then ported my home phone over to it. Was pretty painless and am for the most part happy. I use gv and a free sip provider to make free outgoing calls on my uniden VoIP phone. Incoming also works.