Number portability

[tham]

Wife and I are moving from 3G's on AT&T to 4S's on Sprint. During ordering from Sprint.com I gave them information to port our numbers to our new phones. I've never done this, as we created new numbers when we bought the 3G's.

What should I expect? I read on FCC website not to cancel AT&T account until Sprint account is set up. Any experience? I want to cancel that horrible AT&T account as soon as possible.

 

[wunhangios]

You shouldn't cancel the account. Once the numbers have been taken by Sprint from AT&T (automated process), AT&T should cancel your account or give you notification that they are giving you new numbers in which case, you can cancel then. If you cancel before the process is done, the numbers are lost.

 

[trevorjd14]

I was going to offer the same advice, do not cancel your ATT account. If you do before activating your new phone, you will loose your old number.

 

[eve6er69]

yup i port numbers on a daily basis. the general rule is to not cancel until you have had that new number on the new device for a few hrs. a port can go through fine at first but when and if the work order is closed out incorrectly you can lose the port.

but honestly 99.9% of the time a port goes through correctly without a hitch.

 

[Alli]

You will not need to cancel if you are porting your number. Once your new phone arrives, you activate it. Use it for a few hours or even a day to make sure the reception is what you want. Then call Sprint and tell them you're ready to port your number from AT&T. They'll take it from there and you won't have to do anything.

 

[tmadsen]

I agree that AT&T will cancel once your account is set up with Sprint. AT&T should just send you a final bill once your account is cancelled. I have ported my number twice, and never had an issue. My old accounts were cancelled without me having to call.

 

[eve6er69]

You will not need to cancel if you are porting your number. Once your new phone arrives, you activate it. Use it for a few hours or even a day to make sure the reception is what you want. Then call Sprint and tell them you're ready to port your number from AT&T. They'll take it from there and you won't have to do anything.

i always call just to make sure. i work for comcast and i see alot of verizon or vonage problems with not stopping billing. most times its an honest mistake but i like to double check that the acct has been canceled.

i know im paranoid but i see the worst of the worst, lol

 

[davjaxn]

Alli is totally right. Just use your new iPhone for a day or so, then when you are happy with the Sprint service call Sprint to finalize the port. Doing that will automatically cancel your AT&T account. After that you can call AT&T if you want to pay your last bill on the phone or even go online to the AT&T website to pay your last bill. Or wait for the bill in the mail!

 

[iLurk13]

I ported my number from Sprint to AT&T a couple of years back when I got the 3GS. I went to Apple when I bought my first iPhone and they ported the number for me. They advised me to make sure everything was working okay. I called Sprint a few days later and they said the account was already closed and that I did not need to do anything. Then they tried to beg me to come back but I said it was too late. I did not have to call AT&T to finalize the port.