Stupid CellPhone Question

[Marita40]

I'm buying my first cell phone ever. I'm increasingly realizing that I can't do without one. Looking at an inexpensive Republic Wireless plan with a Moto G 3rd generation phone.

I also intend to keep my landline because it is part of a "triple play" that is not expensive and would be more expensive if the landline were uncoupled from it.

So the question: the Republic Wireless site tells me my landline number can be ported to the cell phone. However, I want to make sure when I switch the number to the cell phone I still have it for the landline. Do I have to call the landline company to do this?

I told you this was no doubt a stupid question! Be gentle on me please as I am a novice.

 

[rbmrtn]

I don't believe You can have the same number on a landline and cell phone at the same time. Different carriers and service. When you port the number is transferred from one carrier to another.

 

[braumeister]

You'll get a new number for the cell phone, but you should easily be able to forward calls to your landline (or vice versa) if you want.

 

[Senator]

Get rid of the internet phone and get a Magic Jack. It will save you money. Port your home number to Magic Jack.

When my land line rings at home, it also rings my cell phone. You need the magic jack app, and a smart phone.

Get a 4G Smartphone. I was a holdout on a smart phone. After you have it for about 10 minutes, you realize you cannot live without it. It's like crack (although I have never tried crack).

I used Walmart family Mobile for a long time, that is cheap and works OK. Now I use T-Mobile, as I wanted the ability to use WiFi calling in remote areas. Or on a cruise.

At some point I will get rid of my landline number, but for now, it seems to be convenient.

 

[2017ish]

I have not yet done this, but have investigated one option, which may be more complicated than you'd like. You could transfer the landline number to google voice and then get another home number.... BUT, at least in the recent past, you couldn't do the port to Voice in one step--you have to get an intermediary mobile device (like a prepaid trac phone).

Once you are in at Voice, you can have the incoming number ring any or all of your other phones. (And take advantage of the other options of that service, as long as you aren't overly concerned about Google/alphabet having access to your calls and messages for its marketing efforts.)

E.T.A.___Hmm--Just saw Senator's post. Will add Magic Jack to my "look at" list.

 

[easysurfer]

As others have said, you can't have the same number as a landline and mobile. But perhaps you can call forward. I still have a landline also and that's my primary phone. Of course, when traveling, I use the mobile.

Just in case I forget my mobile's number, I put a label with my mobiles number on the phone.

If I really wanted one number only and choose between landline or mobile, I'd cut the landline. But for me, I don't mind having two. The old and new.

 

[Greencheese]

T-Mobile has a 4 line unlimited everything for $150/month. Good deal IMO if you have 3 other people paying a share.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Google Voice allows you to set up "one number". There are five Google Voice account options to choose from. Here's a good tutorial. I have a laptop, voip adapter (Obihai), and a Nexus phone, all on one number. It's kinda weird when all three ring at once. I didn't see really much difference between MagicJack, Ooma, Verizon/Comcast/etc Voip service, and Obihai, except Obihai/google voice service has no recurring fees/taxes.

 

[jim584672]

I have Magic Jack and it works ok. Sometimes a caller trying to call me gets nothing with my number, no ring, nothing. I have confirmed this. As a backup I have a "welfare phone" from assurance wireless. I constantly get calls from the previous owner's callers. Apparently they recycled the number from the previous user and my name does not come up on caller ID. I called them to fix it, no luck with the fix.

 

[sengsational]

My wife and daughters have had Republic for years. I've had it for 9 months. The plans have gotten less generous, but still a huge bargain compared to the bigs. They will probably come out with the Moto X 3rd Gen (Pure Edition) soon. The Moto G isn't quite as powerful as the X, but it's cheaper. You can purchase a Republic Moto X, if you want the bigger screen, on eBay for a pretty good deal.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

My wife and daughters have had Republic for years. I've had it for 9 months. The plans have gotten less generous, but still a huge bargain compared to the bigs. They will probably come out with the Moto X 3rd Gen (Pure Edition) soon. The Moto G isn't quite as powerful as the X, but it's cheaper. You can purchase a Republic Moto X, if you want the bigger screen, on eBay for a pretty good deal.

I have had the service for about 4 months and am torn. I do like the pricing, but the wifi calling straight up doesn't work very well. Now when I make a call, I will disable the wifi and force it to make the call via cell network. To avoid the continual issues with wifi calling. I have the Motorola G (3rd gen).

Sent via mobile device. Please excuse any grammatical errors.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Unless MagicJack improved tremendously, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I tried it and was unhappy with it.

 

[braumeister]

Unless MagicJack improved tremendously, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I tried it and was unhappy with it.

OTOH, I've been using Ooma for my landline for just about two years now and it has been 99% flawless. I would recommend it to anyone.

 

[sengsational]

OTOH, I've been using Ooma for my landline for just about two years now and it has been 99% flawless. I would recommend it to anyone.

My Ooma has been working well too.

 

[Options]

I'm buying my first cell phone ever. I'm increasingly realizing that I can't do without one. Looking at an inexpensive Republic Wireless plan with a Moto G 3rd generation phone.

I also intend to keep my landline because it is part of a "triple play" that is not expensive and would be more expensive if the landline were uncoupled from it.

So the question: the Republic Wireless site tells me my landline number can be ported to the cell phone. However, I want to make sure when I switch the number to the cell phone I still have it for the landline. Do I have to call the landline company to do this?

I told you this was no doubt a stupid question! Be gentle on me please as I am a novice.

Been with RW using a Moto G while dropping the landline for a year now. I honestly don't know how I ever put up with (a) that antique space-killing landline with all those wires/cords, etc. (b) running to the next room to catch a call (c) being chained to a corded phone for the duration of the call. A landline is utterly useless, AFAIC (yea, yea, yea, I know all about the power outages/asteroid strike arguments).

Further, I wouldn't immediately assume that you have to accept that ditching your landline is more expensive. In my case, AT&T tried to "bundle" me all the way to Cancun and back and I simply told them to give me straight up DSL less than $30/mo, or they would lose me. We settled on $34/mo net. My RW bill is only $12/mo net, so in total my entire bill is $46/mo, less than I was paying before.

I swear by RW and the Moto G has been an absolute awesome phone. You are going to love the change, and believe me, you won't be a "novice" long!

Edit: And if you do decide to lose the landline, I strongly recommend porting your landline number to the cell. I did so without really thinking about it and only afterwards realized the enormous headache I saved myself having to contact everyone I knew with a new number. By porting, people just called my number and instead of reaching me on the old prehistoric landline, they got me on my new cell.

 

[calmloki]

My Ooma has been working well too.

Ooma since 2010 plus AT&T cells here. Love Ooma, meh on AT&T cellular.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm still hanging onto my landline because I still prefer an old antiquated answering machine over voicemail.

 

[pb4uski]

Ooma since 2010 plus AT&T cells here. Love Ooma, meh on AT&T cellular.

Similar here. Ooma since May 2011 and according to the dashboard I have saved $2,131.

We each have cell phones that use the AT&T network, but through a MVNO, airvoice wireless that cost us ~$300-350/year for two.

 

[Chuckanut]

I ported my old landline number which I had had for quite a while to Google Voice. Then I instructed Voice to ring both my landline and mobile phone when somebody called that number. Problem solved.

Voice can also handle most text messages and it will send the text to my mobile phone and I can also read the texts on my computer. It also records messages sent to me, and I can play messages on my phone or on the computer or other such device. And it converts the voice message to text - that is mostly useful for some good laughs as it is not always accurate unless one speaks slowly and clearly.

 

[Marita40]

Hmmm, Options--you suggest I port the landline to the cell. But I'm confused because everyone else says it can't be done--?

ANYWAY, after a rather scary 48 hours when Centurylink (the company who I love to hate) went down and I had no phone or email at home at all (no ability to call 911; nothing!) I bought my first ever smartphone! A iPhone 5c, new in box, for an excellent price from Swappa. I am going to use the very inexpensive Ting since my phone and data needs are few. And the next step is to think about dropping the landline although any dealing with Centurylink makes my blood pressure rise. I negotiated, painfully, so many deals with them after they dealt me the original bait and switch that I now have landline, Internet, and a great mid tier cable TV for a reasonable price.

 

[ERD50]

Hmmm, Options--you suggest I port the landline to the cell. But I'm confused because everyone else says it can't be done--?
....

Everyone? Everyone?? Who are these people?

Why not go to the source - Options is correct, and your 'everyone' is wrong:

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/keeping-your-telephone-number-when-changing-service-providers

Under the Federal Communications Commission's "local number portability" rules, you can switch telephone service providers for wireline, wireless or Voice over Internet Protocol and keep your existing phone number if you remain in the same geographic area.

 

[Options]

Hmmm, Options--you suggest I port the landline to the cell. But I'm confused because everyone else says it can't be done--?

ANYWAY, after a rather scary 48 hours when Centurylink (the company who I love to hate) went down and I had no phone or email at home at all (no ability to call 911; nothing!) I bought my first ever smartphone! A iPhone 5c, new in box, for an excellent price from Swappa. I am going to use the very inexpensive Ting since my phone and data needs are few. And the next step is to think about dropping the landline although any dealing with Centurylink makes my blood pressure rise. I negotiated, painfully, so many deals with them after they dealt me the original bait and switch that I now have landline, Internet, and a great mid tier cable TV for a reasonable price.

You certainly can port your landline number. And since you've made the excellent choice to use Ting (who I may very well have used if I hadn't chose Republic Wireless, who I'm extremely pleased with), here's how to do it from Ting's FAQ's:

https://help.ting.com/hc/en-us/articles/205428958-How-to-Transfer-or-Port-a-Phone-Number-

BTW, I've downloaded the outstanding PriceBlink app to my laptop, which finds and compares prices (including shipping) for anything any time you shop for online. When I brought up Ting, it showed me this $25 discount for new Ting customers. So hopefully you'll save $25 when you sign up, too:

Ting Coupon: New customers: $25 credit at Ting when you sign up thru this link.

 

[Marita40]

Thanks Erd and Options--I now get it. And many thanks Options for the $25.00 discount advice!

 

[rbmrtn]

Thanks Erd and Options--I now get it. And many thanks Options for the $25.00 discount advice!

To be clear, your original question was

However, I want to make sure when I switch the number to the cell phone I still have it for the landline.

I think "everyone" was trying to tell you that when you port ( move ) the number to wireless it is not available for the landline.

 

[Dawg52]

Unless MagicJack improved tremendously, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I tried it and was unhappy with it.

MJ worked fine for about 3 months for me. After that it started dropping the line. Wouldn't stay up for more than 5 minutes at a time. Rebooting the device only helped for a few more minutes. I'm fine with cell phone only at this point.