Did Fongo cancel my Bell Phone Service

[tatlyn]

after my telephone number was ported? After receiving notification that the number had been ported, my alarm company could no longer monitor our service. I intended to try the fongo phone out for a month, for things like the alarm and another circumstance that we have prior to cancelling my Bell service. But it seems it already is???? How does that happen???

[bridonca]

When doing any port request, the old service is automatically discontinued once the port is successful. That is the way porting works in Canada. Ultimately, it was Bell that cancelled the service, you will have to talk to them to reactivate. If you want the old number back to Bell, you are going to have to do another port request, but use Bell to do the porting.

BTW, it is time to get a new alarm system anyway. Get the alarm company to set up a cellular alarm, pay Speakout $35 for a SIM card and a year's service, and pay $25 a year after that. $25 gets you about 40 minutes for the year, so that should be fine if there are not too many break ins and false alarms.

[tatlyn]

ya, that's all good and fine, except it doesn't just cost nothing to switch my service over (which works perfectly and has for years) to cellular. It's just short of a thousand bucks. As far as, "that's how porting works", I guess it's not so widely known as you might expect. I had NO idea!! In fongo's own literature, that talk about NOT cancelling service until AFTER porting is done. That reads to me that I get to choose when and IF to cancel my service.

[bridonca]

I see what you are saying, but unfortunately, you read that wrong. Like any other telco offering a new account, Fongo assigns a new number, you play with the service, and then at your choosing, you can then port your old number over. Once the port request is successful, the old service is cancelled, to prevent billing for a service that no longer exists. Every telco does it this way.

If you did cancel service from Bell first, and then did a port request, Fongo would have less of a chance to port your old number over, and would have to rely on the generosity of Bell to release that cancelled number. Fongo does not want to have to explain why they cannot get your phone number, so Fongo wants to make sure you do not cancel from the old telco. Look at it this way, even in the spot you are in, you still have your old phone number.

As far as your options, if you want Bell back, call them, and re-activate. You will get a new number, just tell the alarm company of the phone number change. In the long run, cellular is cheaper though.

[tatlyn]

well, I have solved my problem but I feel it was no help from Fongo -- no response to my email this morning, no response here. Yes, bridonca, I have already re-activated my Bell service at a cost of $49.95 and will have to wait until Thursday to be back up and running. I'll have a new phone number for the alarm. This has been an expensive proposition. Why is cellular cheaper in the long run. I have a quote from my alarm company to switch everything over and it's close to 1000 just for the hardware upgrades? Thank-you, bridonca for your responses.

[bridonca]

well, I have solved my problem but I feel it was no help from Fongo -- no response to my email this morning, no response here. Yes, bridonca, I have already re-activated my Bell service at a cost of $49.95 and will have to wait until Thursday to be back up and running. I'll have a new phone number for the alarm. This has been an expensive proposition. Why is cellular cheaper in the long run. I have a quote from my alarm company to switch everything over and it's close to 1000 just for the hardware upgrades? Thank-you, bridonca for your responses.

$50 connection charge is why I would never deal with Bell. I know you are stuck, but that just grates me!

I assume it is costing you $25 a month for your Bell phone right? That is $300 a year by my math. No cellular alarm system should cost $1000, you can get it for a lot cheaper if you shop around, or find another alarm company. But I will stick with the $1000 cost for reference.

If you went with Speakout, you could pay off your $1000 alarm in less than 4 years. Because with Bell, you are paying $1200 in phone charges after 4 years, while with Speakout, that costs you $100

[juttt45]

Fongo would have less of a chance to port your old number over, and would have to rely on the generosity of Bell to release that cancelled number. Fongo does not want to have to explain why they cannot get your phone number, so Fongo wants to make sure you do not cancel from the old telco. Look at it this way, even in the spot you are in, you still have your old phone number.??