Valuable phone numbers

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tonyhughes

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#4121 23-May-2005 18:24

A friends brother is a Voda customer. He has 021xxxxxx where xxxxxx is all the same digit.
He has apparently been offered $15,000 by Voda to ditch this number, and take up a new one. (He is in fact switching to 027, but keeping the 021 connected). He thinks $15,000 is not enough for the number.

a: can anyone confirm the validity of this type of thing (I have seen no evidence of it)
b: if true, then just how valuable do you think these numbers are?

I have a word number for my mobile its very clear, concise, catchy, and describes me well so people have a good chance at remembering it off the top of their heads (if they know me).

Thats much more valuable to me than say 025555555 would be.

Other point is, surely the carrier owns the number, not the customer? If i was a big mean overseas owned carrier, I would darn well just take my number back LOL

Comments?

freitasm

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#14960 23-May-2005 18:47

IANAL, but I'd say the number belongs to the operator. The contract can not be closed without a good reason, so they're willing to buy it back.

Since your friend's brother is moving to CDMA, why not take the offer. It doesn't look like it will impact on his business since he's changing the operator anyway - but if Vodafone wants the number back and take it back it would be only one or two days of outcry in the newspaper and perhaps on TV, and then the topic would die.

My point is - if it's worth this much for them, two days of bad publicity is not that a big price to pay if they want it badly. So take the money and run...

SNicolle

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#14963 23-May-2005 19:31

Interesting one would like to know more, is VF offering to buy the phone #.

I have a friend who had a friend that worked @ VF which all came up when I asked her how she got the number 021XXYXXX which in my opinion for a personal number is a gem.

$15k capital gain, what have you got to lose.
It is tax free too :)

johnr

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#14966 23-May-2005 20:53

Are they being offered this type of money from Vodafone or a dealer?? There is a big difference

tonyhughes

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#14967 23-May-2005 20:59

Was told directly from Vodafone (by someone who understands dealer/company relationships)

mitsii

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#15035 25-May-2005 16:24

A person I have met has the 021 number which was the same as a large NZ company's (very good) 0800 number, he was offered $10,000 for it which he declined.
I think the company has since been bought out...
I think it depends on what it is worth to the purchaser.
I have a very good 021 number, which I would definatly take $15,000 for!!!!!

freitasm

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#15036 25-May-2005 16:44

mitsii: I think it depends on what it is worth to the purchaser.

And of course for the seller. For example, if it is a personal phone, or if the person is moving to Telecom (as the OP tell us). If it is a business phone then we also have to consider the cost of notifying business partners, suppliers, clients of your new number, etc...