Verizon ported my number while my Incredible is in Memphis - BE ADVISED

[dc006]

So today at approximately 2:30 PM my existing non-verizon phone stopped working. I called from a friends line to find out they had already ported my number to Verizon.

So, I stopped by the Verizon Wireless store in town to figure out a solution. They called the Verizon Wireless port department and found out that my number had been ported to Verizon already. However, my Droid Incredible is in Memphis, TN with a scheduled delivery of Wednesday by 7:00 PM CST.

The only option they had for me was to activate a new phone, pay the activation fee and pay the restocking fee when I brought it back. I disagreed with this, because Verizon should not have ported my number until I received the phone and started to activate it.

So, I am waiting for several business clients to call and they cannot get in touch me with as my existing number gives a disconnected message. I have no phone service whatsoever.

Can anyone advise what I could do to get this fixed before Wednesday?

Also, if they are porting numbers while in shipping others may want to think about this to make sure this does not happen to them.

 

[daviddivad]

I would think as a new Verizon customer you have a legitimate gripe, and they should fix this for you. You need to get on the horn and ask for the next person up until you get an answer that meets your satisfaction. It is their fu*k up and they should do something for your inconvenience if they expect you to be a loyal customer.

 

[letters]

Wow, that is pretty poor form. I fear something like this happening. Can't you wait to activate and port till it arrives?

 

[darewinder]

ahh thats unfortunate. My number got ported when i activated my new phone 3 years ago when switched to verizon. I am not sure why urs got ported so early. Best option might be to call and complain maybe they can waive those fees for u to get a new phone.

 

[Jaguox]

Who are you porting from? VZW should be able to give you a shitty loaner for a day or two. People have said that the CSRs on the phone are way more helpful than in store, and the store reps will follow whatever notes are left on your account. You could try calling in to the vzw csr's, (800) 922-0204, have them make a note on your account, then go into the store and get the loaner. Or just hope you get the phone tomorrow. Or find someone who has a shitty old VZW phone and activate that instead. If you have an activation fee, it should just be for opening the phone line on VZW, doesn't matter what phone you use you should only pay it once. Since your # is already ported and activated on the Inc's ESN the line should already be active, thus no extra activation fee (on top of what you've already paid)? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jikhead]

They should at least give you some other phone to use for the time being.

 

[an_droid]

yea you pay to activate the phone number, but you should be able to switch phones as many times as you want with no fee, so i would just borrow an old phone from a friend for a day or two if verizon won't do anything to remedy the situation

 

[acidbath5546]

yea you pay to activate the phone number, but you should be able to switch phones as many times as you want with no fee, so i would just borrow an old phone from a friend for a day or two if verizon won't do anything to remedy the situation

This is true...I have a touch pro 2 and Eris and soon and Incredible..All you would have to do is gain a old phone or one loaned from a friends and use it for a couple days.
just simply get a phone, walk into verizon and say you want to use this phone...
Then when you get the Incredible do the same...FREE and Simple!

Sounds like you have a great gripe call u need to make to Customer Service though...

 

[dc006]

I would think as a new Verizon customer you have a legitimate gripe, and they should fix this for you. You need to get on the horn and ask for the next person up until you get an answer that meets your satisfaction. It is their fu*k up and they should do something for your inconvenience if they expect you to be a loyal customer.

Sorry, just got back home again and am reading these. I will get on the phone with them.

 

[dc006]

Who are you porting from? VZW should be able to give you a shitty loaner for a day or two. People have said that the CSRs on the phone are way more helpful than in store, and the store reps will follow whatever notes are left on your account. You could try calling in to the vzw csr's, (800) 922-0204, have them make a note on your account, then go into the store and get the loaner. Or just hope you get the phone tomorrow. Or find someone who has a shitty old VZW phone and activate that instead. If you have an activation fee, it should just be for opening the phone line on VZW, doesn't matter what phone you use you should only pay it once. Since your # is already ported and activated on the Inc's ESN the line should already be active, thus no extra activation fee (on top of what you've already paid)? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I am porting from a smaller wireless company in Kansas called United Wireless. They are strategic partners with NexTech Wireless. (both smaller independent companies in western Kansas that are Spring rural alliance members)

I tried to get a loaner phone and the store clerks and the managers all said they do not have any loaner phones and never do that. They acted like they very much did not want to talk to me and kept trying to get the net person in line. Which makes sense, I didn't want to hold people up, but I just wanted to get some sort of phone service.

 

[dc006]

They should at least give you some other phone to use for the time being.

Yeah, I tried, but they said they had no loaner phones and never did that. They simply would not help me unless I purchased a new phone with a new number. They couldn't even use my ported number as "it is tied to the Incredible I ordered".

 

[dc006]

This is true...I have a touch pro 2 and Eris and soon and Incredible..All you would have to do is gain a old phone or one loaned from a friends and use it for a couple days.
just simply get a phone, walk into verizon and say you want to use this phone...
Then when you get the Incredible do the same...FREE and Simple!

Sounds like you have a great gripe call u need to make to Customer Service though...

I asked this option (they wouldn't activate my other phone which is CDMA based since it was not Verizon branded. I told them I would program it myself (have some experience with that) but they said nope.) They could only sell me a new phone with a different number. They told me my ported number was not usable until I received the Incredible in the mail.

 

[Lars]

porting is often a mess. have them call forward your number somewhere like a home number or another cell. call forwarding comes free with vzw.

 

[rcyphermd]

They did the same to me when I got my eris.....it was un-do-able. I had no phone for 2 days. They apologized but offered nothing.

 

[Rubik76]

That's really strange. Granted, I've been with VZW for quite a while so I haven't run into this, but for all that the company isn't perfect with service, I'm shocked that they aren't working something out for you.

 

[Feels Good Man]

I would raise hell. That is completely unacceptable.

 

[dc006]

porting is often a mess. have them call forward your number somewhere like a home number or another cell. call forwarding comes free with vzw.

I had this same thought and asked them to do so, but they could not do anything with my number until I actually activated my new phone which does not arrive until Wednesday.

 

[lgldrgdlr]

I would raise hell. That is completely unacceptable.

Absolutely! Call customer service explain what happened and that you NEED an operable phone for business. If they don't help you, ask for a supervisor. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as necessary until they tell you to go to the store and get yourself a phone, even if they have to unbox one for you to use for a few days. It was THEIR mistake and they need to remedy it.

 

[dc006]

Just an update.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions guys.

I called Verizon customer service and they also could not do anything for me until my phone arrived and was activated. The CSR (which was very nice and helpful btw) said he could refund my charges for these few days when I have no service. I thought this was interesting as Verizon should not be charging me for service until I actually activate my phone right? Or do they start charging service from the day the phone ships? The CSR made it sound like they started charging me as soon as it shipped.

Anyways, there is a huge banner on my local Verizon Wireless store that reads ($100 bill credit for switching your number to Verizon Wireless by 5-9-2010). I asked previously if Verizon would offer that since I pre-ordered it online, but they said they would not match the local offer. So, I just now asked them to see if they could just credit my account that much for the troubles and since it was an advertised offer (I didn't know it was just local before I ordered).

They told me there was nothing they could do until I received my phone, but they noted my account and asked me to call back then. I hope they are willing to work with me on this. I am sure my clients are pissed that I have not been able to take their calls. I have several angry emails already.

So far, being a new Verizon customer is off to a rocky start.

Oh, and I forgot that I paid $8.99 for overnight shipping and they shipped it FedEx 2-day instead, but from what I read they did that to everyone. So, oh well, another credit to request on Wednesday I guess.

So, if anyone has another solution as to how to get my service working before Wednesday, I would love to keep trying. Thanks again!

 

[benson304]

Get google voice for your phone number, forward calls to other number?

 

[Tomoko]

Get google voice for your phone number, forward calls to other number?

I could see this working, get a burner (prepaid phone) and have GV forward from your number to the new one. Sounds good in theory.

 

[dc006]

Get google voice for your phone number, forward calls to other number?

Thats a great idea! I need to check that out. I didn't think I could port my existing number to GV, but if I can, problem solved!

 

[Autosuggestion]

Way to go Verizon! You suck!

 

[lgldrgdlr]

The problem with that would be actually getting google voice, unless the is someone here now that had an invite to spare



Sent from my Eris using Tapatalk

 

[dvdivx]

I asked this option (they wouldn't activate my other phone which is CDMA based since it was not Verizon branded. I told them I would program it myself (have some experience with that) but they said nope.) They could only sell me a new phone with a different number. They told me my ported number was not usable until I received the Incredible in the mail.

That's what I really hate about CDMA. Sounds like a nightmare. Don't forget canceling after 30 days is $350. That's the one great thing about GSM - just slap the sim into any unlocked phone and you can make pretty much any phone unlock. I'm porting from Tmobile but the port hasn't happened yet - still using the same crappy pharos phone.