Using Call-forwarding instead of # transfer

[TomGo]

I have just read the FAQ about transferring my phone number to Fongo, and I have two questions.

1. It suggests that one alternative is to just forward my existing number (a Rogers Cell #) to my Fongo number. That sounds great, but I'm also using Fongo's "sequential forwarding" feature such that calls to my Fongo # will get forwarded to my Rogers Cell# if my VoIP app is not available (or I don't answer it). I think this sequential forwarding is a great feature and I won't want to turn it off, but it seems to me that this is incompatible with the suggestion of forwarding my Rogers Cell # to my Fongo number, as this would cause an infinite loop and the universe could implode. And that would be bad.

2. It warns that my cell carrier might consider my request to transfer my phone number to be termination of my contract. Is this still a problem? Is this a problem with Rogers? I am still under contract with Rogers and do not wish to terminate due to the unreasonable terms that are imposed upon termination.

[Jake]

1. Well yes. It would be silly to forward the call back to your cell if you are not going to answer it. The question would be, why would you forward anything to your cell if you are just going to forward it somewhere else? Why not just forward it to the final destination in the first place? Their suggestion I think more explains how to do things if you no longer want to use your cell phone and just send all calls to your DV app.

2. If you port your number away from Rogers they will probably terminate your contract and give you the penalties that go along with it. They can't really keep a contract with you if you no longer have a number with them. You can ask, but I really doubt they will furnish you with a new number if you take their one away.

So your options will either -
a) Terminate your contract with them AFTER you have ported out your number (don't even think of mentioning to them that you are going to port your number or that you want to terminate the contract, otherwise they will just block the port).
b) Sit tight as you are now and serve the rest of your contract then port out.
c) Forward your cell number to your DV number so all calls come in one place. Then port out when your contract is over. Obviously disable the forwarding back to your cell number.

[TomGo]

Thanks for the response.

#1. Ok, I guess it was a silly question.

#2. I was imagining that, when they received the # transfer request and released my current phone#, they would generate a new number for my cell phone. Then the newly generated cell phone # would become the 'backup' number for my Fongo service (i.e. using the 'sequential forwarding').

From your response I gather that this is unlikely. If I attempt this I will report back here as to my degree of success/failure.

[Jake]

just to be clear, I wasn't calling you silly (no offense was meant), just that it wouldn't make sense to forward it back.
I'm from the UK and I have found that some times the way that I phrase things get taken the wrong way over here. I just wanted to make it clear I wasn't being rude in anyway.

Unless you are very near to the end of your contract I wouldn't risk the wrath of the cancellation department. I can't see them giving you new number so easily after you have just taken a number that they paid for to another company. I could be wrong, but I think they will nail you to the wall for as much as they can while they can.

[TomGo]

No, I didn't take any offense. I was calling my own question silly.

Yes, I am concerned about getting about how they will react - I certainly do not want to suffer the cancellation penalty. I will proceed carefully.

On the other hand, the whole thing may be moot. In preparation for moving over to Fongo I just did a little test: calling my Fongo line from someone else's phone. I couldn't successfully receive a single call. I will post this in the appropriate (Dell Voice app) forum.

[FONGO_mike]

I am sure we will be able to get this sorted out for you and the service working (have not seen the other thread yet to chip in)

[TomGo]

I ended up posting into this thread:
http://forum.fongo.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7634

For the record, when I called Rogers, they said that porting my number and generating a new one (i.e. porting without terminating account) would go fine if I wanted to port within Rogers, e.g. Rogers Home phone.

If I wanted to port elsewhere, bad things would happen, i.e. I would lose my phone number for months or my account would be prematurely terminated and I would owe an amount completely out of proportion to the remaining subsidy.

Yikes.