[Discuss] AT&T eliminating copper phone lines

[mbr at arlsoft.com (MBR)]

According to the FCC 
(https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/porting-keeping-your-phone-number-when-you-change-providers) 
porting "can be done between wireline, IP and wireless providers". The 
only circumstances under which you can't port your phone number, again 
according to the FCC, are either: 1) if you are moving to a new 
geographic area or 2) if you're dealing with a rural wireline service 
provider who has obtained a waiver for the porting requirement from 
state authorities.  From your description, neither applies.

As a result of Verizon trying to coerce me to give up my copper line  a 
few years ago, I've spoken to people at the Mass. Dept. of Public 
Utilities and the offices of both my U.S. Senators, my U.S. House 
Representative, as well as my Mass. Senator and my Mass. House Rep.

The one thing I can say for certain is that Verizon will lie through 
their teeth with no shame whatsoever, and unless you apply sufficient 
pressure, they'll get away with it.  It may be that there really is some 
weird exception that the FCC neglected to mention on their website, but 
I'd guess it's far more likely that Verizon is lying to you.  If this is 
important enough to you, I'd suggest you get back in touch withthem and 
demand a detailed explanation of what law or regulation exempts your 
number from the FCC requirements.  Demand the full name and job title of 
the person telling you this, and take detailed notes on what their 
claimed justification is for denying you the rights that the FCC says 
you have.  Chances are the person will refuse to give their last name.  
If that happens, ask for their ID number.  Armed with this information, 
call the Mass. Dept. of Public Utilities and anyone else you can think 
of that might have some power over the phone companies.

When Verizon responded to my request for them to repair my copper line 
by repeatedly sending repair people who told me they were there to 
convert me to fiber "as I requested" (I never made any such request, and 
I refused them access to my property if that was what they were going to 
do), I raised enough of a stink with the Mass. DPU, my Federal Senators 
and Rep., and my Mass. Senators and Rep. that some Verizon manager 
called me and threatened to disconnect my service immediately.  At the 
time, I didn't know that they'd just shot themselves in the foot.  It 
was only when I called the Mass. DPU and my legislators' offices, that 
one of them informed me that Verizon had violated the law by making that 
threat. Shortly thereafter a very apologetic Verizon representative 
called me from a special office that Verizon had set up to placate 
customers who complained loudly enough.  She arranged for my copper line 
to be fixed without converting to fiber, and gave me about 3 months of 
free phone service to shut me up.

The lesson here is that, if it's important enough to you, be persistent.

        Mark Rosenthal
        mbr at arlsoft.com <mailto:mbr at arlsoft.com>



On 3/28/17 3:23 PM, Daniel Barrett wrote:
> On March 28, 2017, Derek Atkins wrote:
>>> 2. Add phone service to my existing Verizon FIOS Internet plan. (Con:
>>> I lose my phone number of 25 years.)
>> I don't understand this second point.  Why can't you port your existing
>> phone number over?
> I don't understand it either, but Verizon has confirmed it (twice).
> Apparently, my home number is special. 95% of home numbers can be
> ported to their FIOS Voice service, but mine can't.
>
> However, they can port it to Verizon Wireless. Weird.
>
> --
> Dan Barrett
> dbarrett at blazemonger.com
>
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