Embarq refuses to port # to Vitelity- thoughts?

[BigSeph]

Hi folks,

I'm IT guy for a small company and we ported our 1-800# from Embarq to Vitelity, no issues, and the service has been great.

We wanted to port our local #s to Vitelity, however Embarq has refused to port them. These lines are important to our business, and the stability/quality/capacity of the PSTN lines coming in from Embarq just flat-out sucks compared to our service from Vitelity. Some of that is FXO-card-based, some of it is noobness when it comes to my VOIP knowledge, but what I want to know is this-

Do we have any recourse or any kind of case to file a lawsuit against Embarq? It's seriously affecting our service to our customers and our efficiency as a company in a negative way, and we haven't changed physical locations. Do we have a right to those numbers if we still occupy the same physical location and just want to change telephony providers?

I don't know if any legal beagles are out there, but I'm looking for answers.

Thanks!

-S

 

[hkgonra]

Popping in just to say I am curious as well. I thought your number was yours and they had to port it.

 

[Bart]

I'll guess it has nothing to do with vitelity - You might try to port to your local phone company and see if that gets denied too. The local telco might have the power to override it - At one time AT&T could 'steal' number away if they thought they were getting you as a customer.

Later, port to carrier of choice.

Good Luck

Bart

 

[BigSeph]

Embarq is the only telco providing service in my area, so I think my porting options are limited when it comes to another POTS provider.

 

[cosmicwombat]

Your probably going to have to do your own research. I'd start by finding out how there are doing business. By that I mean, what municipality grants them the right to do business and then look at that franchise, charter, or whatever public agreement they have. The probably have to pay a fee, find out to whom.

The research FCC, then your state and then county info on what they "have to" supply in terms of service(s).

 

[Fortel]

So, you want to Disembarq...

Your POTS options may be limited, but I've had luck porting to a cellular carrier, then to VoIP.

Will be curious to know the outcome...

Peter

 

[thunderheart]

Honestly, from what I remember of my days at the Big Nerd Ranch, the legislation regarding LNP made it MANDATORY after a certain date (which should have passed years ago). That is I think we were REQUIRED to add LNP to DMS10 and DMS100/Supernode for regulatory reasons. I didn't work directly on this but I do remember sitting in dark conference rooms and listening (or pretending to listen) to other poor saps reporting on their progress with the feature.

As I remember, the telcos had up to a certain date to begin providing portability or get fined by the FCC. I'm pretty sure the juristiction on this is at a Federal level so I really don't think they can refuse though I wouldn't put it past them to try.

Dallas

UPDATE: Here is a little something from the FCC on the issue. As long as you remain in the same geographic area, it doesn't look like they can refuse regardless of the underlying technology: http://www.fcc.gov/cib/consumerfacts/numbport.html

 

[BigSeph]

Just wanted to post an update about this situation-

Where our business is located is on an island, and there's only one bridge leading to this island. There is one "data" line going over the bridge and Embarq owns it. They apparently have some surcharges that other companies such as Charter have to pay in order to "use" Embarq's line over the bridge.

There are no competitors in our area because of this. Embarq says they would gladly port the number, knowing that it's impossible to port to anyone because nearest rate center is an hour away and their e911 on the island won't work for most SIP providers.

End result- we have to pay Embarq for remote call forwarding on 5 lines until the new bridge is built in 5 years. They we can choose between paying Charter or paying Embarq.

Price you pay for living in the sticks, I suppose.

Thank you all for your advice, I tried it, and maybe things will be different in a few years.