Sprint traded me for younger eye candy!!! Number portability backstabs when you need a new number!!!

[Gracie]

I've been a Sprint customer for 5+ years with 2 phones and huge monthly bills. In the past, I've changed my number 3 times for free with absolutely no problems- phone was stolen, moved to Nashville and needed a local number, and got a nutcase crank caller that wouldn't go away. Then I move back to ATL from Nashville and Sprint deserted me!! Since my "plan" no longer existed, they would not change my number to a local one without another contract (i.e. commitment I demonstrated long ago to this marriage by paying tons of money to them) - the topper is that my outdated nonexistant "plan" wasn't nearly as good as thier new ones!!!

Not only that - they wouldn't give me a new free phone or any of their current deals for new customers because I was an exisiting customer!!! HELLO SPRINT>>>>I paid my bills on time for over 5 years!!!! HELLO!!!!!!! Can you hear me now????

I gave them one last shot, had Cingular write up their best deal, called up Sprint and said, Three choices - change my number to an ATL local and continue my "plan" as before with no changes; match Cingulars deal with a 2 yr contract; or say goodbye. They said goodbye.

Number portability can bite you if you have to relocate and need local numbers.

Hey, Sprint, meet my new boyfriend - Cingular Wireless!!!

[PaulC]

Hmmmmmmm..... And this has what to do with number portability???????

[Gracie]

I knew somebody would respond sarcastically - thanks for doing it so quickly.

The cellphone providers are in a wad because of the overall shortage of phone numbers, especially in ATL for southern providers, due to the proliferation of cellphones, faxes, pagers, etc. We already have 10-digit local dialing and....how many area codes is it up to now????

Kinda like trying to rent a U-Haul truck in Flint, Michigan only in reverse- lots of trucks going out, not many coming back in - Lots of folks coming into ATL, not as many leaving. They have no idea what effect number portability is going to have on number availability, it's a wait and see thing. Portability may help, may hurt. Hence hoarding ATL numbers.

How's the weather up there? We've got 65 degrees and some sun. Thanks, Paul.

[PaulC]

But you can't port a number outside of your area. For example, I could not port my landline number here in MASS to a wireless account with a billing address in Atlanta. Not allowed.

Sunny and 45 degrees in Boston today!

[finine]

Yeah, Cingular can't port your Nashville number either if you are now living in Atlanta ... unless you are billing it to an address back in Nashville. There is no geographic portability.

[Gracie]

No, No, No.....my point is that I didn't want to keep my number. And I'm talking strictly cell numbers - no land lines. I'm talking area codes, not the geographic location of the phone!!!! If I keep my Nashville area code, everyone in ATL has to call my cell from THEIR cell or long distance charges apply, even if I'm standing right beside them. Get it???

I had been with Sprint for over 5 years - Sprint can - and tried to - force me to keep my Sprint-issued Nashville cellphone number in Atlanta, WITH my billing address changed to a local Atlanta address. They refused to give me a new Atlanta number unless I recommitted to an additional contract arrangement. I didn't WANT to keep my Nashville number - and they didn't want to give up an Atlanta number without an additional commitment from me. I was flat-out told that this was now company procedure, and why. ((Of course, this was from customer support, so I took it with a grain of salt - but I heard it from more than one mouth) Part of the genesis of the number portability idea was to address the number availability issue. (Think Area Code NOT land line)

Yes, you CAN move out of the ATL area and keep your ATL cellphone number. I moved out of Nashville and was FORCED to keep my Nashville number WITH an ATL billing address by Sprint unless I ponied up some more $$$$$$. I could have switched to Cingular with an ATL billing address and kept my Nashville CELL number (nationwide coverage) if I had wanted to - I just didn't want to!!

Anyway, it's just interesting bar talk, especially in ATL. You know, conspiracy, behind the scenes big corporation stuff. Lots of business owners are still miffed about having to reprint their letterhead everytime the area codes change around here, so the subject always gets some kind of response. I thought it was common sense that I would want a local number when I moved back to ATL. Imagine my surprise when Sprint informed me I had to pay for that honor! There was a good article about the whole number shortage thing and how number portability was going to affect the mix in a local magazine a few months back - will it help? Will it hurt? I'll see if anybody remembers it and post the cite so you can read it, if you're interested.

Now 35 degrees and raining, but heating up in Buckhead. Ah! My pinktini is calling me!!!!!

[ZaphodB]

When you move to another city, you can do just an address change without a plan change or number change.

Sprint must have had similar plans in ATL and BNA when you moved up there. I assume you lived in TN for a while and then moved back to GA... well, now that plan doesn't exist anymore so they can't change it. Sprint was going by their policy -- I think you did the right thing by voting with your feet if you don't like the policy.

However, the area codes in Atlanta are in no danger of exhaust... according to the NRUF report at the NANPA (aka, the Big Fancy Report from the People Whose Job It Is To Know), the 404/678 area code is forecast to exhaust in the first quarter of 2009.

Number portability is expected to have little impact on area code exhaust.

Today at 3rd Ave and 45th St. it is 15°C (59°F) and cloudy.

[finine]

Originally posted by: ZaphodB
according to the NRUF report at the NANPA (aka, the Big Fancy Report from the People Whose Job It Is To Know)

Hah!