I want to pre-order a new iPhone for my wife online, use AT_T, but port her existing number from a different carrier.
How can I do this? Her number is portable btw.
tia
17"MBP 5,2 2.8gHz 500gB 4gB 10.6.7; 13" MBP 5,5 2.26gHz 150gB 4gB 10.6.6;iPad, Time Capsule. Newton in the closet. SE 30 in the Garage.
You have two options here.
First, you can order the phone on AT&T's site. Part of the process will include the option to port a different phone number. This may add to shipping times, though.
Second, get the phone with whatever phone number AT&T give you then take it in to any AT&T store where they can handle the number porting. There shouldn't be any issue or additional costs if you do this within a few days of getting your phone. You could even do this prior to activating the phone after you get it.
You have two options here.
First, you can order the phone on AT&T's site. Part of the process will include the option to port a different phone number. This may add to shipping times, though.
Second, get the phone with whatever phone number AT&T give you then take it in to any AT&T store where they can handle the number porting. There shouldn't be any issue or additional costs if you do this within a few days of getting your phone. You could even do this prior to activating the phone after you get it.
Also, keep in mind that the porting request will close out her account with her current carrier. You DO NOT want to close that account BEFORE you port, or you are likely to loose claim to the number.
If you order the new phone with a new number, her current account stays open and active (so still useable too). Then, when you actually have the new phone in hand, you can just call AT&T and tell them you'd now like to port the number over. I've done this a number of times, and its always gone fine.
I think all numbers are portable IF as the post above states, the previous account is still open. Also, when they are porting the number over, it can take a day or so to be active. So, wait until you see that the ported number actually rings the new phone. When that finally happens, I think the previous phone will then be dead.
Thanks everyone, check back in a few weeks and we'll see if there is a correct answer to flag.
The FCC says it should only take a single business day to port
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/portability-keeping-your-phone-number-when-changing-se rvice-providers
(unless there are complications, which used to mean, for example, things like moving a landline to a wireless account). My last port from a Sprint account to an AT&T account, a bit less than 2 years ago, took AT&T all of about 45-60 minutes to get fully switched over and working on an iPhone 3GS.
Porting a Number from a Different Carrier.
