Extremely upset with AT&T policies and support [ Edited ]

[jhaff]

I st up a family plan and purchased a second phone for my girlfriend as a christmas gift.  The intent was to port her phone number to the new line after I had given it to her, something the sales person said wouldn't be an issue.  Fast forward two weeks, I call the porting department to find out that you can't merge a New York number with a Florida one on a family plan.  I'm livid.  I ask to speak to a manager.  "Sorry sir, it's just not possible."  How is it not possible!?  Weren't the portability laws constructed to prevent this kind of crap?  And thanks for mentioning it after I shelled out $300 and agreed to pay an extra $50 per month.  I've tried calling every number I can get my hands on.  Every single department tells me the same tired story.  I'm at the point where I've decided to drop AT&T and move over to Verizon if this can't be solved imminently.  This "gift" has turned into nothing but stress for my girlfriend, and it's got me pacing and fuming over it.  Please, community, tell me SOMETHING can be done. 

[drumn_bass]

Sorry man, it really is not possible, they're not lying to you. It has nothing to do with number portability but billing issues, I'm guessing it because of taxes and telecom fees, New York wants theirs and Florida wants theirs, so markets and states stay separated. One of you guys can get a new number or (I'm sorry to say) it's not to late to return the phone.

[jhaff]

I'm sorry, but I have to call shenanigans on this.  I called and asked, and none of the other US carriers have this restriction.  In fact, AT&T has a special class of billing for businesses that takes care of this isssue, but they can't be bothered to extend the courtesy to non-corporate customers.  So when you say "it's not possible" what you really mean is that AT&T doesn't give enough of a crap about their customers to make it happen.

[JFizDaWiz]

Some numbers can't be ported, honestly don't know the criteria but we have a tool to check if it can be or not

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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JFizDaWiz wrote:
Some numbers can't be ported, honestly don't know the criteria but we have a tool to check if it can be or not

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10,000 foot ovverview -

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/wireless-local-number-portability-wlnp

Tons of more information there on the rules, just have to take the time to dig through it.

To the OP, you are not runing into a carrier regulation you are running into a regulation imposed by the FCC

[drumn_bass]

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jhaff wrote:

I'm sorry, but I have to call shenanigans on this.  I called and asked, and none of the other US carriers have this restriction.  In fact, AT&T has a special class of billing for businesses that takes care of this isssue, but they can't be bothered to extend the courtesy to non-corporate customers.  So when you say "it's not possible" what you really mean is that AT&T doesn't give enough of a crap about their customers to make it happen.

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And business accounts are set up with "Federal" tax id, but anyway, I'll rephrase... It's not possible in AT&T's billing system for consumer accounts, just the way system is set up and has been for many years. Again, I'm only guessing when I say that it probably involves a total billing system redesign to add this which will mess up all customer's bills and be a total nightmare. If it was an easy task AT&T would have it by now, your case is not the first one of it's kind. So other carriers have than, good for them... It's not too late to return the phone. I wish we could just make things magically happen, but we can't.

P.S.. I asked this before and heard speculations that the system might have be redesigned when AT&T merges with T-Mobile, because T-Mobile has this and there are accounts with different area codes on the same plan, but of course it's not happening now, since all the push back AT&T got from angry "consumers" and "competition".  

[jhaff]

I understand that AT&T knows the problem is solvable and is unwilling to expend the effort and money to redesign their system to appease what appears to be a minority of customers.  I will not accept the excuse that it is a legal issue because of the precedent set by competitors.  I appreciate the responses, but I am still floored by the "sorry bub, take your business elsewhere" mentality that seems to be endemic among every single employee I have talked to thus far.  It's almost as if my business isn't wanted.

Frankly, what I find most unacceptable about the whole thing was that I was told incorrect information by the salesperson, who was fully aware that the number to be added was from a different region of the country.  I think at the very least, the communication between departments at AT&T needs to be vastly improved to avoid this kind of thing.

Regardless, thank you for your responses.  You've been more informative than anyone else I've talked to so far.

[KenDog210]

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jhaff wrote:

I understand that AT&T knows the problem is solvable and is unwilling to expend the effort and money to redesign their system to appease what appears to be a minority of customers.  I will not accept the excuse that it is a legal issue because of the precedent set by competitors.  I appreciate the responses, but I am still floored by the "sorry bub, take your business elsewhere" mentality that seems to be endemic among every single employee I have talked to thus far.  It's almost as if my business isn't wanted.

Frankly, what I find most unacceptable about the whole thing was that I was told incorrect information by the salesperson, who was fully aware that the number to be added was from a different region of the country.  I think at the very least, the communication between departments at AT&T needs to be vastly improved to avoid this kind of thing.

Regardless, thank you for your responses.  You've been more informative than anyone else I've talked to so far.

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You can go to another carrier but they all will have the "sorry take your business elsewhere" mentality.  There is no customer loyalty with any of the carriers.  If you become unhappy with your carrier then try out another carrier. 

I just came to AT&T from Sprint.  There customer service is just as bad if not worst.  They straight up lie to you there.  Hang up on you.  Call you a liar.  And tell you to go elsewhere.  These companies know how much it cost to leave.  they get there money with your monthly bill or with your ETF.  They realize you will go to another carrier and odds are will have an issue with that carrier and threaten to leave for another one. 

And i wouldnt believe a word some store rep tells me.  i have learned this the hard way (expensive way) with Sprint.  if its not in writing or not taken care of before i sign the contract, then it is probably a lie.  Most of these employees for all the carriers are younger, minimum wage payed, un educated employees.  I literally block out what they say to me.  They all lie.  Including verizon.

[ssaint0411]

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wingrider01 wrote:

10,000 foot ovverview -

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/wireless-local-number-portability-wlnp

Tons of more information there on the rules, just have to take the time to dig through it.

To the OP, you are not runing into a carrier regulation you are running into a regulation imposed by the FCC

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If it's an FCC regulation, why is this possible on other carriers?

I'm from NY, I have had the same number for almost a decade, and have recently moved to Alabama, where my wife is from. We cannot put our numbers on the same AT&T plan.

However, Verizon, Sprint, and T-mobile all can (and I have seen examples of all three, so I know it's not just a salesman trying to make the sell)

[mikewho]

I've been able to do it with both vz and tmo but couldn't with AT&T unless on a corporate account.

[ujmnz]

That's what I'm trying to work on right now. I'm trying to port in a number. You need an NBI account. NBI is just a market. According to my friend he has seen a ton of NBI market accounts with account type "Individual-regular." So it is possible for regular consumers, not just businesses. According to him, the policy states something like NBI market  for consumers is there to join cross market numbers due to systematic rules. 

I wish i knew what those rules were. 

[EricVP]

I too am trying to get this done for my son in Vermont (area code 802) to be under my family plan in the DC market (area code 301).  We both are currently AT&T wireless users.  Hope the below info helps...

The reference made here regarding the FCC rules is inaccurate since it is not applicable.  The FCC Local Number Portability (LNP) statute applies to when one decides to switch carriers/service providers.

So, in order for AT&T to perform my request, the following needs to be followed:  [Note: there may not be a transfer fee if you are a member of an organization that has a Foundation Account Number (FAN) in which you benefit from an Employer Discount program]

1)  Call 1-800-331-0500 (customer service)

2)  Request to initiate "Transfer of Billing Responsibility" to me, as the primary account holder

3)  Call the AT&T National Business Office (NBO) at 888-444-4410, options 2 then 5

4)  Request to add my son's Vermont # to my family plan account

5)  The AT&T representative then creates a NEW account and adds the Vermont # and my Maryland #s under the NEWLY-created account number as a "Small Business Account".

[iHateEverything]

i have a fan discount on my family plan if i switch to a small biz acct will i lose the fan discount

[JFizDaWiz]

You might have to call for that one. Small biz accounts are different and most people here don't have one and most employees here don't handle them, there's a separate department for that