Can't get my previous home number ported over to AT&T from Wow.

We signed up for new service with AT&T when we moved 8 miles from our previous address to a new home in a new neighborhood that did not have cable service from Wow. When I requested the service I asked to have my phone number ported over to the new house. I was told that was not an issue. Now 3 weeks later and many hours on the phone with AT&T support and Wow, I'm told that the number can not be ported. At first they said the number needed to remain active which I gave them as long as I could before we moved but I no longer have access to that address anymore to reactivate it. Then they asked me to reactive just the number portion of my old account to try to port the number. I did that and was told that the number was not available for porting. I've been told multiple different reasons for this that some numbers are "owned" by the service provider and can't be moved. I didn't change zipcodes so I don't understand that one. When I took the modem back to Wow today to drop it off, she said there is no request in their system for the number porting. She event went so far as to say that legally they have to give them the number, they can't hold on to it for any reason. So this makes me think that AT&T doesn't honestly know how to port a number or request it. I have not once been asked for my user account with Wow or PIN which I was told by Wow they would need in order to request it. It's like the request never gets that far through the process. How can this be that difficult? Is there anyone to contact at AT&T that knows the real reason I can't port my number? I'd  understand if there was legitimate reason given but so far the story doesn't make sense to me.