Switching to FIOS Digital Voice - Keep existing phone number

[mccunney]

I currently have Verizon Freedom Essentials and Verizon FIOS for Internet.  If I switch to FIOS Digital Voice, will I keep my existing phone number?  Does it cost extra to keep your existing phone number?

[jumpin68ny]

You can transfer your phone number to Verizon assuming the folks that hold your phone number allow it.

For example my local cable company, Cablevision, will not release the numbers they own.

Jim

[tlb7 · Accepted solution]

>>I currently have Verizon Freedom Essentials and Verizon FIOS for Internet.  If I switch to FIOS Digital Voice, will I keep my existing phone number? 

Yes...just did this recently. Are you really sure you want to switch to Digital Voice?

I wish I could go back to Freedom Essentials because in switching to DV, my account number changed which was not all that big a deal but, really why did it need to change--Verizon won't say. Additionally, my payment date changed--again for no discernable, explicable (from Verizon) reason. The biggest concern I have about DV is that it is not state regulated so Verizon can do whatever it wants and as a customer I have no protection via state regulations.

>>Does it cost extra to keep your existing phone number?

No...Verizon will charge you ~$5/month to make your number unlisted--not sure if that is different from Freedom Essentials...

Hope that helps...

[tns2]

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@jumpin68ny wrote:

You can transfer your phone number to Verizon assuming the folks that hold your phone number allow it.

For example my local cable company, Cablevision, will not release the numbers they own.

Jim

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IT was my understanding that Cablevision doesn't have a choice.  Phone numbers are suppose to be portable.

[jumpin68ny]

I know plenty of folks that made the jump to Cablevision many years ago.  Cablevision gave out 631-868 numbers.  For example I just tried to make the switch using someone on Cablevision today:

Sorry, 631-868-XXXX cannot be switched to Verizon.
Contact your local business office for more information. You may check another number or continue your order online with a new number.

From what I was told, Cablevision own's that exchange and doesn't have to give that up.  Doesn't make sense to me but that is what I'm being told.

Jim

[jumpin68ny]

I stand corrected.  I was just speaking to someone who switched and took their 631-868 number with them.

I guess Cablevision was fighting that battle (to keep customers) but now they allow the change.  My neighbor switched last year and they had to change numbers but this other family switches 3 months ago to VZ and got to move it.

The best thing to the OP is to enter your phone number in the wizard and see what it says.

This is at www.verizon.com and when you select phone it gives you the option to enter your phone number for portability.

Jim

[tns2]

Cablevision can not claim a phone number.  There are restrictions and possible fees but local phone numbers are suppose to be portable.  see http://www.fcc.gov/guides/portability-keeping-your-phone-number-when-changing-service-providers