Port my number to FPL. Does FPL now "own" it?

[GT!]

If I port my home phone number to FPL, do I still have the right to port it back to another provider or does FPL now have the right to keep my number?

Hmmm, assuming the answer to the above is "yes, you can port to another provider" what about a scenario where you just obtain a free number from FPL and then decide you like the number because your friends are now using it to reach you but want to port it to another provider? This isn't my scenario, but asking out of curiosity.

-GT

[Jake]

You can port any number out of FPL even if you have ported it in. I'm sure someone will tell you the exact rules, but it basically comes down to the fact they can't stop you from porting it out.

And yes, you can sign up for a good free FPL number, then port it out to another company.

[TheHardy]

Jake nailed both nails right on the head. The "multi-port" has proven popular recently within mobiles, as companies fight for users. A friend of mine had a Rogers Wireless #, ported out to Mobilicity taking advantage of their "break your contact" offer, then found the coverage was crap, ported to WIND, found their customer service was worse (if that is possible) and also that his work had a dead zone where he got nailed a LOT of "away" charges, and finally ended up porting that number into Virgin Mobile ... so in the span of 15 months, he has ported 3 times, keeping the same number. He has had to do a lot of paperwork and the port that was the most screwed up was Mobilicity->Wind ... apparently Mobilicity denied it originally due to a lower case letter in his street address (for example 92a vs 92A) and then again for a space (92 A vs 92A) ... make sure you fill out the port IN forms to match EXACTLY how your OLD account has ALL your information, right down to Last Name, First Name vs First Last .... it _MUST_ match exactly for a lot of providers. You can always amend it AFTER the port ....

Porting out from FPL can prove a bit challenging, as some other providers want to see old BILLS as proof of ownership. There was also a case of WIND not allowing the port IN of a native FPL # for some reason, but we never got more information... some providers may make porting in from FPL difficult. FPL does not BLOCK you porting a number out (they are not allowed to), but they also do not seem to make it very easy.

Another caveat ... lets say you live in Edmonton, signed up for an Aurora, ON FPL phone number ... and you like it and want to keep it ... depending on the carrier you port to, because your location is Edmonton, you will not be able to port in a FOREIGN number (Aurora in this case).