Advice on how to port a Landline number from Spark to Hero

Forums › VoIP › Advice on how to port a Landline number from Spark to Hero

meowza

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#315357 6-Jul-2024 17:40

I'm currently on the Essential Fibre Plus with Landline plan with Spark.

I pay an extra $10 a month for the Calling feature pack dual number feature which gives me an extra landline number (Calling feature pack https://www.spark.co.nz/myspark/mylandline/addservices/fibre-landline-packs/).

So I have 2 landline numbers (one with the fibre landline plan, one with the calling feature pack).

It's getting really expensive (currently paying $116.99 a month and it will be $124.90 starting next month) but I can't switch broadband providers because no other provider provides dual landline numbers and I don't want to lose either landline number.

I want to port the Calling feature pack landline number to Hero (DDI number plan for $2.30) to save money and change providers.

Can I have some advice on how to do this? Last time I switched internet providers (over 5 years ago), I almost lost one of the numbers and it took a lot of calling and frustration to get it back.

Do I sign up with Hero and then request porting? Do I need to tell Spark that I'm porting the number away? Does Spark need to do anything to make it so that Hero can port the number?

Linux

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#3257010 6-Jul-2024 17:43

Do not tell Spark you are porting a number you only deal with the gaining provider

meowza

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3257012 6-Jul-2024 18:15

Thank you so much for answering. So I just request Hero to port the number and it will be done just like that? That's so much easier than before.

I'll try on Monday. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong :)

huckster

842 posts

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#3257029 6-Jul-2024 21:54

Are you just porting the landlines?

I have moved the landline to Hero and kept the Broadband with Spark.

To make 100% sure I kept the number, I contacted Spark and moved the landline to a little known product which at this specific moment I can't remember what it is called. This split the landline from the broadband so when Hero raised the porting request it didn't kill the broadband at the same time.

I'll try and find out what the product was.

huckster

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#3257033 6-Jul-2024 22:09

The product is Customer Link. Had to arrange this with Spark - I was upfront about wanting to split the landline and broadband. As soon as that was confirmed, I got Hero to port the number. Probably paid a few extra dollars, but kept the number. Had the number diverted to another number for a short period of time.
I think I setup another number with Hero first to test all the necessary bits (ATA) and used this as the diversion for Customer Link.

nztim

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#3257036 6-Jul-2024 22:43

When you port the LL away from Spark it. will only disconnect the broadband on copper connections. (ADSL/VDSL)

On fibre connections this is not an issue,, the connection is wlll simply go naked after the port.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

meowza

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3257037 6-Jul-2024 22:59

I just want to port one of my landline numbers - keeping the main landline number and broadband.

The number I want to port is the extra number I get from the calling feature pack (https://www.spark.co.nz/myspark/mylandline/addservices/fibre-landline-packs/), not the main landline number that appears on my bill and account dashboard. So I don't think it will affect my broadband when I port it since I can cancel the calling feature pack at any time without it killing my broadband.

huckster

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#3257039 6-Jul-2024 23:06

nztim: When you port the LL away from Spark it. will only disconnect the broadband on copper connections. (ADSL/VDSL)

On fibre connections this is not an issue,, the connection is wlll simply go naked after the port.

I was being ultra-cautious and willing to pay $5-$10 to make absolutely sure so I went the Customer Link route.

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mobiusnz

457 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3258707 12-Jul-2024 11:00

I had a phone number I was fond of (Its ABCCDDD as a number repetition pattern so if I ever want a landline I like the number pattern) so I ported it to Hero and use the free plan so just pay the base fee to have the NZ number on the line. I have a Cisco SPA122 on it but the only calls we get are Telemarketing and scams but I keep it. To be fair it was offline for 6 weeks and I hadn't noticed.

It costs $2.30 including GST per month (Unless my wife picks up the old school phone and makes calls by habit)

Mine was ported from 2 Talk last and it was a painless process. I booked it to be ported and it happened, I didn't have to let 2 Talk know.

I can't remember where I had it before 2 Talk, probably Vodafone but that was easy too. Especially as it sounds like me you won't care if there is a period you don't receive any calls because you haven't setup your voip phone, app or adapter. I've found I can use Hero's phone app on my Iphone logged into the line and calls will come in on both - I figured hand if I actually used the number that people could call while I'm travelling.

One thing I've seen happen at a client is she ported her business number to a VOIP provider from Vodafone. Everything went as expected except Vodafone dropped the ball and didn't do their bit meaning their system still had the number registered so anyone on Vodafone Landline or Mobile couldn't ring her as Vodafone sent them into a black whole to a disconnected account. Took a few calls to Vodafone to convince them the problem was theirs before they fixed it. Probably a rare occurrence.

PS - Hero have very good information to setup common devices. Their setup guides have made my SPA112's tones sound exactly like NZ's normal tones otherwise you get American sounding Busy tones etc. Again, I don't use it but the geek in me cares that it works right anyway.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions

speed

293 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3258843 12-Jul-2024 15:47

mobiusnz:

Vodafone dropped the ball and didn't do their bit meaning their system still had the number registered so anyone on Vodafone Landline or Mobile couldn't ring her as Vodafone sent them into a black whole to a disconnected account. Took a few calls to Vodafone to convince them the problem was theirs before they fixed it. Probably a rare occurrence.

In my experience it's not as rare as you might think, and by the nature of having larger customer bases the larger providers just experience it more often than others too. Unfortunately they can also be more difficult to communicate with when trying to make contact and escalating the issue.

I say support the smaller guys! :)

+1 for Hero

Pete

mobiusnz

457 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3258847 12-Jul-2024 15:55

speed:

In my experience it's not as rare as you might think, and by the nature of having larger customer bases the larger providers just experience it more often than others too. Unfortunately they can also be more difficult to communicate with when trying to make contact and escalating the issue.

I say support the smaller guys! :)

+1 for Hero

Pete

With you there - I'd always call Telecom years back "Telecom - Right third time" as their motto (Might have been the early spark years) was "Right first time" but I constantly found it took 3 calls and assurances before they'd finally do it right.

Vodafone on the other hand when someone says they can do it, the usually do. The problem is convincing them they actually have a problem and need to do something.

I did a plan switch a million years ago and the person on the phone offered to make the change immediate (Speed increase on early ADSL) - What actually happened is my connection stopped working altogether. I'd spend an hour or more a day on the phone going round in circles. I went into their office in Christchurch and was handled by reception like a boss - She told me to go into a side room to wait, then came in and told me to pickup the phone. I was back talking to the same helpdesk going round in Circles.

Finally I got transferred to someone who actually had a brain who said "Oh, I can see what they've done. Try now" and it was all working.

I've always preferred the smaller local teams as they tend to empower their support / phone staff.

Matt Beechey Mobius Network Solutions