Teacher
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6 Messages
Cancel the phone line, keep the number?
I'm moving overseas next month, for an indefinite period of time. I don't want to keep paying my regular monthly payments for a line I won't be using, but I would like to keep the number - for SMS & call forwarding options - no need for any kind of data package, either. Any ideas what would be the best option for this?
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.1K Messages
7 years ago
@DorKul Same here! Always like a "happily ever after" at the end of a story. Hopefully this thread, with your very helpful follow up, will help someone else.
Thanks!
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IFanLin
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
I have a question. If I port my att number to google voice, can I port it back to att once I go back to US? Is there any fees on that? or iWill itl be complicated doing that?
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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64.7K Messages
5 years ago
Yes, you can port it back. There are no fees from ATT to port, I don’t know about google voice.
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IFanLin
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
Thank you. I have another question. Can the att phone number and google voice number the same for..say one week. and then I port to google voice when I am really out of US?
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IFanLin
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
I mean when is the best time to port the number to google voice? When I am still in the US or after I am out of US?
Once I port the number to google voice, I can not use my physical phone anymore for either calling someone or using data, right?
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
5 years ago
After you've unlocked the phone. I'd do it towards the end of the billing period (since they won't prorate), 4 days before the end so in case they hit some snags.
Before, in case they hit some snags.
Correct, but you could put it on prepaid, which is what I'd do. I'd unlock the phone, port out to Google Voice towards the end of the billing period, get a prepaid line (NO autopay), and forward the GV number to the prepaid.
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DorKul
Teacher
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6 Messages
5 years ago
Porting the AT&T phone number to Google Voice automatically and immediately cancels that number via AT&T. In other words, once your number is on Google Voice, AT&T no longer service that number at all. So you can't hold on to the same number on both AT&T and GV for a week, or even for one day.
On the other hand, this does NOT mean you can't get calls on your physical phone - you can, provided you set up Google Voice (with that number) on your phone, and - this is important - provided you still have internet service on that phone.
This is the tricky part, because as soon as you port your number to GV, your calls are coming in via the internet, not via any phone company. Normally, the data plan on your phone requires you to have an active AT&T (or some other phone company) subscription. But your subscription ended the minute you ported your number to GV, so you can't rely on your old number for its data plan.
I actually ported my number a week before I left the US, and continued to receive calls to that number - but only when I was somewhere that provided WiFi internet, since my data plan went away the minute I ported the number.
Hope this helps.
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IFanLin
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
Thank you! It helps a lot and trick.
The only concern right now is wether I can port my number to google voice after I leave from US. Can I still do that outside the US?
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
5 years ago
I'd do it before you leave. Get a prepaid SIM for the remaining time and have Google Voice forward it to you.
You do NOT want to be dealing with calling AT&T internationally if you're trying to port out. You often can't even reach the account login pages from outside the country without a VPN.
Google Voice should forward to your US phone number, so even if you have a cheap non-data plan it should still forward to your phone while still in the US, correct?
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IFanLin
Tutor
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5 Messages
5 years ago
I have another question. The google voice can only transfer the call to the number in the US?
I have had att number ported to GV and got another number (but this number is not US number). Now I tried to transfer GV call or message to my new number. However, it said only US number can do it. Is that the limitation?
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