Number portability

On November 28 I called Nextel (my cell phone company) to have my land
line telephone number transferred to them. They kept telling me that
they were working on it. Today when I went on the net to check on it
for the nth time I learned that my request was cancelled. When I
called them to find out why some woman with some kind of an Asian
accent from outside the United States- I could tell from the time
delay in our conversation- said that she did not know why but would be
happy to put in the order again. In turn I asked how I would know if
it would not be cancelled again if she couldn't tell me why it was
cancelled in the first place. To that she said she would connect me
with the Tel-a-sales department and if there was anything else she
could do for me. I replied "yes" and asked her what country she was in
since because of the time delay I could tell that she wasn't in the
United States she hung up on me.
So I called back and went through the whole thing over again but this
time I got someone in the United States. After being connected to
three different people I finally found out that they were unable to
transfer numbers because of technical difficulties and would not be
able to start until- get this- May of next year. They still claim in
their web page that:

Nextel's systems support the transfer of a number in as little as 2.5
hours but it is believed that the process could take 3 to 5 days,
depending on the readiness of your previous carrier's systems.

http://nextelonline.nextel.com/NASAp...ptn=1234567890

---

› See More: Number portability

"Molly Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On November 28 I called Nextel (my cell phone company) to have my land
> line telephone number transferred to them. They kept telling me that
> they were working on it. Today when I went on the net to check on it
> for the nth time I learned that my request was cancelled. When I
> called them to find out why some woman with some kind of an Asian
> accent from outside the United States- I could tell from the time
> delay in our conversation- said that she did not know why but would be
> happy to put in the order again. In turn I asked how I would know if
> it would not be cancelled again if she couldn't tell me why it was
> cancelled in the first place. To that she said she would connect me
> with the Tel-a-sales department and if there was anything else she
> could do for me. I replied "yes" and asked her what country she was in
> since because of the time delay I could tell that she wasn't in the
> United States she hung up on me.
> So I called back and went through the whole thing over again but this
> time I got someone in the United States. After being connected to
> three different people I finally found out that they were unable to
> transfer numbers because of technical difficulties and would not be
> able to start until- get this- May of next year. They still claim in
> their web page that:
>

Nextel does not use overseas companies to handle calls- the only non-US site
they use is in Canada.

FYI: I've made calls within the United States and experienced the time =
delay you mentioned, so it doesn't necessarily mean they're outside of =
the U.S.

"Molly Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message =
news:[email protected]...
> On November 28 I called Nextel (my cell phone company) to have my land
> line telephone number transferred to them. They kept telling me that
> they were working on it. Today when I went on the net to check on it
> for the nth time I learned that my request was cancelled. When I
> called them to find out why some woman with some kind of an Asian
> accent from outside the United States- I could tell from the time
> delay in our conversation- said that she did not know why but would be
> happy to put in the order again. In turn I asked how I would know if
> it would not be cancelled again if she couldn't tell me why it was
> cancelled in the first place. To that she said she would connect me
> with the Tel-a-sales department and if there was anything else she
> could do for me. I replied "yes" and asked her what country she was in
> since because of the time delay I could tell that she wasn't in the
> United States she hung up on me.
> So I called back and went through the whole thing over again but this
> time I got someone in the United States. After being connected to
> three different people I finally found out that they were unable to
> transfer numbers because of technical difficulties and would not be
> able to start until- get this- May of next year. They still claim in
> their web page that:
> =20
> Nextel's systems support the transfer of a number in as little as 2.5
> hours but it is believed that the process could take 3 to 5 days,
> depending on the readiness of your previous carrier's systems.
>=20
> =
http://nextelonline.nextel.com/NASAp...tInRequestSta=
tus?url=3Dwnp%2Fjsp%2FPECPortInStatusCheckResult.jsp&ptn=3D1234567890

Sorry to be long winded but...


On December 1, I started the "port in" process from Verizon to Nextel,
ordered the phones, and the plan. Phones delivered on December 3, 1
of the 2 numbers ported in no problem. However, the 2 new phones
couldn't direct connect to the third phone that was already on the
Nextel network. After numerous calls to tech support (key corporate
accounts) I was told on Friday, December 5, that within 24 hours, I
should be able to direct connect with all 3 phones. December 6, I am
able to direct connect with all phones. Monday December 8, I go to
direct connect with my wife, who has one of the new phones, and I get
the infamous error message, "user not authorized" A4.

Once again, I contact tech support about this problem. They tell me
that because one of the other phones has not ported over yet, there is
nothing that can be done at this time to allow a "cross fleet" to take
place.

December 10 or 11, the port on the last phone is done, I contact tech
support once again, and am told that I will have to wait 10 business
days for a fleet change to take place, and was told that the request
was placed on December 3, so to call back the middle of the following
week.

This week I contact customer support trying to find out what is going
on, and am told that I would have to wait another 10 business days. I
tell them that this is not acceptable, and that I wish to speak with a
supervisor, I am told that my case would be escalated to a supervisor,
and will be contacted within 24 hours, and gave them my nextel number
for the contact number.

Yesterday, my gets a message from the supervisor looking for
information, in the AM. I call this supervisor 3 times throughout the
day to find out what is going on. I get e return call last night at
approximately 5 pm, est.

I am told the following:

there are 3 ways that we can handle the fleet change:

The phone numbers on the 2 phones that were ported in
need to be changed, to allow the fleet numbers to be changed

Change the phone number and fleet ID on my phone to
that of the 2 other phones, (which isn't an option due to work)

Or leave things just as they are. I told this person
that I will contact him on Monday with an answer.

When I told him that the only remedy to this problem would be to make
the necessary fleet changes without losing any phone numbers that were
ported in, that's why the numbers were "ported".

My answer to this individual on Monday will be to make it happen on or
before January 15, 2004, or I file a complaint with the FCC and my
state Attorney Generals' office.

Has this happened to anyone else ou there.


On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 01:39:46 GMT, "John Eckart" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>FYI: I've made calls within the United States and experienced the time delay you mentioned, so it doesn't necessarily mean they're outside of the U.S.
>
>"Molly Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> On November 28 I called Nextel (my cell phone company) to have my land
>> line telephone number transferred to them. They kept telling me that
>> they were working on it. Today when I went on the net to check on it
>> for the nth time I learned that my request was cancelled. When I
>> called them to find out why some woman with some kind of an Asian
>> accent from outside the United States- I could tell from the time
>> delay in our conversation- said that she did not know why but would be
>> happy to put in the order again. In turn I asked how I would know if
>> it would not be cancelled again if she couldn't tell me why it was
>> cancelled in the first place. To that she said she would connect me
>> with the Tel-a-sales department and if there was anything else she
>> could do for me. I replied "yes" and asked her what country she was in
>> since because of the time delay I could tell that she wasn't in the
>> United States she hung up on me.
>> So I called back and went through the whole thing over again but this
>> time I got someone in the United States. After being connected to
>> three different people I finally found out that they were unable to
>> transfer numbers because of technical difficulties and would not be
>> able to start until- get this- May of next year. They still claim in
>> their web page that:
>>
>> Nextel's systems support the transfer of a number in as little as 2.5
>> hours but it is believed that the process could take 3 to 5 days,
>> depending on the readiness of your previous carrier's systems.
>>
>> http://nextelonline.nextel.com/NASAp...ptn=1234567890

To clarify the problem I would have to ask what are the areas for the
telephone numbers? This may seem to be of no consequence, but Direct Connect
numbers are chosen based on the geographic location of the cell-phone
number. Direct Connect fleet numbers do not need to changed in order to "DC"
someone else unless one of the units is on a fleet which is incapable of
"cross-fleeting". In this instance an Account Modification "Follow-Up"
request would have to be submitted to get the units which are not
cross-fleet capable, onto a new fleet. At this time the requests are taking
13 BUSINESS days (weekends/holidays not included). A "Market Transfer"
request would only need to be done if the phone numbers are based in
different areas and you want them all to be in the same market area, or they
are in the same area and you want them to be registered in new areas
(example: all units have San Diego numbers, one person moves to San
Francisco and needs a new local number). With a "Market Transfer" you would
lose the ported-in number because it is not from the area you are getting
the new fleet in.

"Jeffrey Meunier" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Sorry to be long winded but...
>
>
> On December 1, I started the "port in" process from Verizon to Nextel,
> ordered the phones, and the plan. Phones delivered on December 3, 1
> of the 2 numbers ported in no problem. However, the 2 new phones
> couldn't direct connect to the third phone that was already on the
> Nextel network. After numerous calls to tech support (key corporate
> accounts) I was told on Friday, December 5, that within 24 hours, I
> should be able to direct connect with all 3 phones. December 6, I am
> able to direct connect with all phones. Monday December 8, I go to
> direct connect with my wife, who has one of the new phones, and I get
> the infamous error message, "user not authorized" A4.
>
> Once again, I contact tech support about this problem. They tell me
> that because one of the other phones has not ported over yet, there is
> nothing that can be done at this time to allow a "cross fleet" to take
> place.
>
> December 10 or 11, the port on the last phone is done, I contact tech
> support once again, and am told that I will have to wait 10 business
> days for a fleet change to take place, and was told that the request
> was placed on December 3, so to call back the middle of the following
> week.
>
> This week I contact customer support trying to find out what is going
> on, and am told that I would have to wait another 10 business days. I
> tell them that this is not acceptable, and that I wish to speak with a
> supervisor, I am told that my case would be escalated to a supervisor,
> and will be contacted within 24 hours, and gave them my nextel number
> for the contact number.
>
> Yesterday, my gets a message from the supervisor looking for
> information, in the AM. I call this supervisor 3 times throughout the
> day to find out what is going on. I get e return call last night at
> approximately 5 pm, est.
>
> I am told the following:
>
> there are 3 ways that we can handle the fleet change:
>
> The phone numbers on the 2 phones that were ported in
> need to be changed, to allow the fleet numbers to be changed
>
> Change the phone number and fleet ID on my phone to
> that of the 2 other phones, (which isn't an option due to work)
>
> Or leave things just as they are. I told this person
> that I will contact him on Monday with an answer.
>
> When I told him that the only remedy to this problem would be to make
> the necessary fleet changes without losing any phone numbers that were
> ported in, that's why the numbers were "ported".
>
> My answer to this individual on Monday will be to make it happen on or
> before January 15, 2004, or I file a complaint with the FCC and my
> state Attorney Generals' office.
>
> Has this happened to anyone else ou there.
>
>
> On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 01:39:46 GMT, "John Eckart" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >FYI: I've made calls within the United States and experienced the time
delay you mentioned, so it doesn't necessarily mean they're outside of the
U.S.
> >
> >"Molly Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >> On November 28 I called Nextel (my cell phone company) to have my land
> >> line telephone number transferred to them. They kept telling me that
> >> they were working on it. Today when I went on the net to check on it
> >> for the nth time I learned that my request was cancelled. When I
> >> called them to find out why some woman with some kind of an Asian
> >> accent from outside the United States- I could tell from the time
> >> delay in our conversation- said that she did not know why but would be
> >> happy to put in the order again. In turn I asked how I would know if
> >> it would not be cancelled again if she couldn't tell me why it was
> >> cancelled in the first place. To that she said she would connect me
> >> with the Tel-a-sales department and if there was anything else she
> >> could do for me. I replied "yes" and asked her what country she was in
> >> since because of the time delay I could tell that she wasn't in the
> >> United States she hung up on me.
> >> So I called back and went through the whole thing over again but this
> >> time I got someone in the United States. After being connected to
> >> three different people I finally found out that they were unable to
> >> transfer numbers because of technical difficulties and would not be
> >> able to start until- get this- May of next year. They still claim in
> >> their web page that:
> >>
> >> Nextel's systems support the transfer of a number in as little as 2.5
> >> hours but it is believed that the process could take 3 to 5 days,
> >> depending on the readiness of your previous carrier's systems.
> >>
> >>
http://nextelonline.nextel.com/NASAp...ptn=1234567890
>