Telecom Landline number Portability - Within area, different exchange

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom Landline number Portability - Within area, different exchange

nzfatmatt

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#43139 18-Oct-2009 12:39

Hi

My grandparents are moving from Khandallah to a place nearby, but on a different exchange. They are wanting to take their current Telecom Landline number with them.

Telecom has told them that this is not possible due to being on a different exchange. They also know of this same thing happening to someone else in the same are and same situation. They also know someone else who is in the same situation but has switched to Vodafone and has been able to keep their landline number.

How come Telecom can say this is impossible to do when there are number portability laws for being able to keep a number within a region of the same area code and that Vodafone can also keep the numbers when Telecom can't. My only thought of Vodafones abilty is due to them possibly having their own exquipment in the exchange.

If there is no ability to do this and with Telecom this shines a bad light on them. If they are flouting the number portability laws this is even worse. What this all comes down to is Telecom is going to lose a long term custormer and I hope they lose more due to this problem.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#264799 18-Oct-2009 12:45

This has nothing to do with Vodafone having its own equipments. It's currently not possible to transfer numbers between exchanges, that's all, there's no malice in the whole thing.

Number portability is about being about to transfer number between operators, not about moving numbers within a region.

I had the same situation and to help my parents-in-law keep their old number we just ported it to WorldxChange VFX (VoIP) and got DSL on another line (they wanted a fax line so we use that for DSL).

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sbiddle

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#264800 18-Oct-2009 12:47

This is a known issue and occurs because Telecom's old NEAX switches simply can't handle what you want to do. There is unfortunately nothing that can really be done however the issue will be fixed once Telecom's NGN voice replacement is complete but that will still be some years away.

If the number is important the best option is to move to another provider which will allow you to keep your number. TelstraClear are the most obvious option but a VoIP provider such as XNet or 2talk could be an alternative if you want to move to VoIP.

nzfatmatt

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#264803 18-Oct-2009 13:06

Thanks for the replies

Antique equipment was my guess at a cause for this problem.
I had looked at the law and seen that it was worded to between operators.

My other thought though a very roundabout way and pointless, is you can change to another provider then change back. Under the law they would have to take your number back, though as the current equipment can't support it I doubt that's possible.

TelstraClear I would think is out as they are within a cabled area but are not able to get that cable to the building they are in.

I'll also have a look into VoIP as that seems a good and cheap way for toll calls.

NealR

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#264806 18-Oct-2009 13:22

Sorry, but porting to another provider and the porting back is the same as moving suburbs and staying with Telecom. Telecom have the right to not move one of their numbers between exchanges. Yes, even though you port to another provider the number still belongs to Telecom. It does not belong to the user but to the provider who registered the number with the number administration people.

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nzfatmatt

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#264811 18-Oct-2009 13:36

Hey Neal thanks for the reply.

I think it's off to Vodafone or VoIP for them then.

Matt

sbiddle

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#264812 18-Oct-2009 13:41

nzfatmatt: Hey Neal thanks for the reply.

I think it's off to Vodafone or VoIP for them then.

Matt

Vodafone won't necessarily be an option either - in Auckland where Vodafone have their own ULL Red Network you can port and keep your number anywhere within the AUckland LCA. Vodafone don't have their own network in Wellington so simply resell Telecom services and you'll probably find the same bottleneck.

The other option is to move the old number to a CustomerLink number and forward it to a new Telecom number. This isn't free but it would be interesting to see if Telecom do offer any discounts or options if you try and negotiate with them over this.

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nzfatmatt

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#264816 18-Oct-2009 13:52

sbiddle:
nzfatmatt: Hey Neal thanks for the reply.

I think it's off to Vodafone or VoIP for them then.

Matt

Vodafone won't necessarily be an option either - in Auckland where Vodafone have their own ULL Red Network you can port and keep your number anywhere within the AUckland LCA. Vodafone don't have their own network in Wellington so simply resell Telecom services and you'll probably find the same bottleneck.

The other option is to move the old number to a CustomerLink number and forward it to a new Telecom number. This isn't free but it would be interesting to see if Telecom do offer any discounts or options if you try and negotiate with them over this.

I know it's possible with Vodafone as my grandparents know someone in exactly the same situation as them who has been able to keep their number when they moved to Vodafone.

bjhoogs

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#264835 18-Oct-2009 15:15

nzfatmatt: I know it's possible with Vodafone as my grandparents know someone in exactly the same situation as them who has been able to keep their number when they moved to Vodafone.

Vodafone home phone wireless would work (the main disadvantages are that modems will not work and to get broadband you would need wireless or naked dsl, also you would have to teach them to dial the area code before dialing local numbers). If they are in a red network area they may be able to port the number across. If they are on a telecom wholesale line resold through vodafone they will have the same issues as buying that line from telecom. Whatever they decide to do they will need to port the number across before (probably about a week before) moving and disconnecting the line at their old address

Bung

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#264844 18-Oct-2009 15:51

freitasm: This has nothing to do with Vodafone having its own equipments. It's currently not possible to transfer numbers between exchanges, that's all, there's no malice in the whole thing.

Depending on the situation a diversion service like Customerlink may solve the immediate problem. There are probably ways to do lots of things that aren't offered for "policy" reasons. However there's a new logo that you can interpret in any way that suits yourself :)

richms

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#265153 19-Oct-2009 21:45

forget customerlink - its $22 a month and they bill you per min.

Take it to 2talk or italk and then foward it to whereever, or just use it as voip as they intend via a new connection.

Richard rich.ms

nzfatmatt

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#265159 19-Oct-2009 22:01

Thanks for peoples replies, I will post in December to say which way they go, once they are moved in.

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timestyles

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#265163 19-Oct-2009 22:13

I had the same situation and to help my parents-in-law keep their old number we just ported it to WorldxChange VFX (VoIP) and got DSL on another line (they wanted a fax line so we use that for DSL).

Since some people don't want to use VoIP, they could just do what I do, and use call forwarding. It costs $10 a month with World Exchange (I think - I pay the bill every 6 months so I honestly can't remember exactly and no bills are handy). Local call forwarding calls are free so that's the final cost.

The irony of the situation is that in Christchurch, if you have a TestraClear number, you can use your number with Telecom exchanges, if you are in a suburb with TelstraClear competition. In other words, Telecom have modified their exchanges in those competitive suburbs so you can move and take your TelstraClear number. This is according to a Telecom CSR (who was in Christchurch), so it may be wrong.

Bung

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#265167 19-Oct-2009 22:32

richms: forget customerlink - its $22 a month

Fair enough

richms:and they bill you per min.

Bill what? Normal local charges apply which should be nil for residential.

ajobbins

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#265171 19-Oct-2009 22:48

richms: forget customerlink - its $22 a month and they bill you per min.

Take it to 2talk or italk and then foward it to whereever, or just use it as voip as they intend via a new connection.

+1 Port to 2talk or italk, pay the $7-10 a month and forward it wherever you want. The forwarding will be free within the same Local Calling Area, plus you will get additional features like voicemail too.

You could even do what I do and have home phone calls ring simultaniously on my mobile. If I am out I can choose to answer the call (And pay 25c a minute for taking the call) or let it go to voicemail and pick it up later. The caller ID of the caller comes through to the mobile too, so it makes it easy to decide what to answe and what to leave.

Twitter: ajobbins

richms

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#265188 19-Oct-2009 23:34

Bung:
richms: forget customerlink - its $22 a month

Fair enough

richms:and they bill you per min.

Bill what? Normal local charges apply which should be nil for residential.

It is not a residential product, I was getting pinged 4.5c/min for calls when I had one briefly inorder to get a real looking CBD number to port to voip..

Richard rich.ms

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