T-Mobile won't port my landline. HELP!

[CAL7]

I have a landline (VOIP) number that I have had for years - I first got it from the local telco and have ported it to various landline carriers over the years. I thought it would be a simple matter to have T-Mobile port it to change my existing TMO number to the established landline number..

TMO is saying that their coverage in the area code and exchange is not sufficient to allow porting. This makes no sense to me. First, since it is a VOIP number, it could be physically located anywhere. Second, I have H@H, so my number will mostly be using WiFi, not GSM.

Why would TMO (or government regulators, as they claim) decide whether coverage is good enough for me to port a landline phone number? I already have a TMO number in this service area, using both GSM and WiFi, what does it matter if I change the number? Most importantly, how can I get around this problem??????

[armadill09]

i would think you could try porting to another wireless company, then porting from that company, but think it will just cause you more hassle and wont solve the problem. i'd say just wait it out, its bound to be available sooner or later. oh yeah, and if its in a suncom area, you'd only be waiting until Q2. lol

not the answer you wanted, but i think you're fighting a losing battle

[jet1000]

The problem may be that you ported the number to VOIP from your local telco. If it was still with your local telco that would not be a problem. But when they passed the law to allow cell companies to port landlines, I do not believe the ruling requires it for VOIP. Your VOIP company has no interest in losing your business.

It's just like once a local telco landline is ported to a cell phone, it can not be ported back to a local telco. The local telcos protested this one-sideness, but the cell phone lobbyist had too much clout and thus kept the ruling one sided.

[SJSMR2]

I think I remember the same thing in the ruling dealing with VOIP.