TAP Series: Switch to AT&T – Keep Your Number

Welcome to part two of the one and only internet guide, that will take you by the hand and steer you through the scary process of switching your wireless provider in the advent of the iPhone.

If you currently live in the 21st century, chances are that you depend on your wireless phone number like Paris Hilton depends on attention. You’ve given it to plenty of business associates, friends, and family members and the thought of loosing it scares you. It’s simply not an option! If that sounds like you, yet you still can’t live without an iPhone, you should keep on reading. Together we’ll take a look at how you can keep your current wireless number on your move to the new AT&T.

The trick that’ll let you ‘port’ your original number to AT&T is entitled ‘Wireless Local Number Portability’ (LNP). Sounds complicated. Is easy. According to the FCC:

Wireless LNP allows consumers to switch from one wireless carrier to another within the same general metropolitan area. It does not allow consumers to keep the same phone number when moving to a new town or city.

And even better:

Once a valid porting request has been made, the old carrier cannot refuse to port a number. Even if that individual owes money for an outstanding balance or termination fee.

“Aha,” you say! There’s the catch: A ‘valid porting request’. Sounds tricky. Breath, because it really isn’t.

I spoke to an AT&T representative this morning and asked him what customers should do if they want to keep their current number when switching over to AT&T. You’ll like his answer:

“Just come in, bring your previous wireless bill that shows your account number, and we’ll take care of the rest for you.”

The bill should be recent, and include your correct name and address as it appears in the carrier’s database. This should aid in making the porting process go smoothly. Once a valid porting request has been made by AT&T, the old carrier cannot refuse to port a number.

Also, according to the same AT&T representative this process “should be done by the time you walk out of the door” with your brand new iPhone. However, the FCC cautions on its website that the porting process could take approximately two and a half hours from the time the porting request is made of the old carrier.

Two and a half hours is the time frame agreed upon by the wireless industry, and the FCC encourages carriers to use that time frame.

So, all in all it’s very easy to keep your good old phone number while getting your hands on that brand new iPhone. Just make sure to bring your recent wireless bill [as well as a stack of cash] and you’re all set to go.

In case you have missed the 1st part of our series, make sure to read up on it now. You might be able to save 15% of your monthly AT&T wireless bills.

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