can I sell my phone number?

Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective owner
of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number *****s
something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot of
companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I had to
guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for it.

Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can I
go about doing it?

---

› See More: can I sell my phone number?

In article <[email protected]>,
homer simpson <[email protected]> wrote:

> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective owner
> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number *****s
> something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot of
> companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I had to
> guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for it.
>
> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can I
> go about doing it?



Try eBay.

Your cellular phone number does *NOT* belong to you any more than your
landline phone number belongs to you. Just because the number can now be
used with most cellular providers does not make it yours.

Bobby

"homer simpson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective
> owner
> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number *****s
> something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot of
> companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I had to
> guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for it.
>
> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can
> I
> go about doing it?



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Who does it belong to? My service provider? What if I port it to another
service provider? If the number is the property of the original service
provider, how come I can easily deprive them of their property without
their concent?

Isn't the situation similar to Internet domain names? They definitely get
bought and sold.

"NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote:

> Your cellular phone number does *NOT* belong to you any more than your
> landline phone number belongs to you. Just because the number can now be
> used with most cellular providers does not make it yours.
>
> Bobby
>
> "homer simpson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective
>> owner
>> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number
>> *****s something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot
>> of companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I
>> had to guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for
>> it.
>>
>> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how
>> can I
>> go about doing it?

homer simpson wrote:
>
> Who does it belong to?
>
> <snip>

The FCC?

Notan

What does it *****. The number belongs to the Provider you have at that time, I think

Notan wrote:

> homer simpson wrote:
>>
>> Who does it belong to?
>>
>> <snip>
>
> The FCC?

I don't have the answers, that's why I'm asking questions. But if it belongs
to the FCC, I can probably just sign a contract with someone saying that
other party will use my number from now on (Effectively selling it).

homer simpson wrote:
> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective owner
> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number *****s
> something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot of
> companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I had to
> guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for it.
>
> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can I
> go about doing it?


Technically, a service provider "owns" the number, but you have a
contract that provides you exclusive use of it for whatever legal reason
you prefer. Yes, you can choose to port the number to another service
provider, and so long as the contract is maintained, you're use of it
remains. However, if you choose to discontinue your use of it, or you
default on your contract, you lose your exclusive use of it. Once that
happens, the number reverts back to the original owner, and if ported,
becomes unported, pooled and available for reassignment under a new
contract for someone else.

I am unaware of any way a provider has to facilitate a directed transfer
of usership between parties. Numbers are randomly assigned from a pool
of availabilities specifically to make a directed transfer next to
impossible. Sometimes, a provider will allow a new customer to choose
one of several randomly picked numbers from the pool, but in your case,
your use of it would have to have already been terminated at some prior
time.

I can tell you what will happen if you attempt to engage your provider
to assist you in a directed transfer of your number - they'll refuse
because their service policy says they don't even want to get that
started. If they did it for one, they'd be buried in a week.


--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

"NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote:

> Surely*this*is*simple*enough*for*even*you*to
> understand.

Get a life, creep. Insulting strangers on USENET under the pretense of
answering questions, while hiding behind your monitor, does not count as
one. PLONK

homer simpson wrote:
> Notan wrote:
>
>> homer simpson wrote:
>>>
>>> Who does it belong to?
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>
>> The FCC?
>
> I don't have the answers, that's why I'm asking
> questions. But if it belongs to the FCC, I can probably
> just sign a contract with someone saying that other party
> will use my number from now on (Effectively selling it).

Interesting idea but I don't think it will work.
Go to www.nanpa.com to see the guys who handle
the numbers.

I don't think you could sell it because it's been assigned
to the providers. Even if it can be passed from one provider
to another. If you simply terminate your service you lose
your number. You have to port the number when you terminate
service with a provider. You have to have another provider to
port it to. No plan, no number. So I think you would need to
collaborate with a provider to transfer your number to a
particular person or entity. I guess you could get the plan
or service and then maybe transfer financial liability to a
company much like VZW lets you do but I'm not sure how
valuable that would be to a company. For real money I
would think a company would want to legally own the number
and I don't think that's going to happen.

Brings up another good question. Seems that you can keep
your number as long as you maintain service but is this just
the way it's done or is your number actually part of your
service contract?

-Quick

What is a "PLONK"? Is it a new swear word?

Thanks,

Bubba

"homer simpson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote:
>
>> Surely this is simple enough for even you to
>> understand.
>
> Get a life, creep. Insulting strangers on USENET under the pretense of
> answering questions, while hiding behind your monitor, does not count as
> one. PLONK

homer simpson wrote:

> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can
> I go about doing it?

You don't own it. If you're willing to allow someone else to take over
landline service at the same location, you can avoid new installation
charges. But the phone company will require the person taking over the
service to verify in writing that they'll be responsible for any left over
charges, along with any new ones they incur. What you're suggesting is not
a transfer of service at a defined landline location, but a change of
assignee for the phone number, not the service, for your own profit. I
don't see how you could get away with that one. ;-)

Bill K

> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can
I
> go about doing it?

Just lease it to someone...for a monthly fee have the calls forwarded to
whoever wants to pay you for using the number. As long as they pay you'll
keep forwarding it.

Good luck

homer simpson wrote:

> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective owner
> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number *****s
> something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot of
> companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I had to
> guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for it.
>
> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how can I
> go about doing it?

Suggest you post this question in comp.dcom.telecom DO NOT cross post.
The group is moderated and they seem to be pretty knowledgeable.

BTW IMHO you can sell it because you are not really selling the number you are
"selling" the right of some other party to use the number. What you want to do
is nothing more than a name change for which you want to be paid. Again, ask
over at comp.dcom.telecom.

LB

Let's see if I can make it simple for you...You are paying for a service.
Currently, that service is associated with a number...your number. Should
you decide to cancel the service and not port the number, it goes back into
the pool, and will eventually given to someone else. You do *NOT* own the
service. you do *NOT* own the number. You are paying for the privilege of
using the service. You are paying to use a certain number while you are
paying for that service. Surely this is simple enough for even you to
understand.

Bobby

"homer simpson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Who does it belong to? My service provider? What if I port it to another
> service provider? If the number is the property of the original service
> provider, how come I can easily deprive them of their property without
> their concent?
>
> Isn't the situation similar to Internet domain names? They definitely get
> bought and sold.
>
> "NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote:
>
>> Your cellular phone number does *NOT* belong to you any more than your
>> landline phone number belongs to you. Just because the number can now be
>> used with most cellular providers does not make it yours.
>>
>> Bobby
>>
>> "homer simpson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> Cellular phone number portability makes me, in a sense, the effective
>>> owner
>>> of my phone number. By accident, it just so happened that my number
>>> *****s something that could be considered very desirable by a whole lot
>>> of companies (I won't say what it *****s for reasons of privacy). If I
>>> had to guess, I'd say there are companies that would pay thousands for
>>> it.
>>>
>>> Is it possible for me to actually sell my phone number, and if so, how
>>> can I
>>> go about doing it?
>



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