Doris switched from Verizon to Comcast’s Xfinity phone service, assured she’d be able to take her longtime phone number with her. Comcast being Comcast, this wasn’t so and now all sorts of people, including Doris’s daughter, get a “not in service” number when they try to call her.

She writes:

On the morning of October 31, I picked up my cell phone and saw a text message from my adult daughter. She’d tried to call home the night before, but had received a “number not in service”. Sure enough, I picked up one of my house phones and there was no dial tone; I called my home number from my cell and received the same “not in service” message.

Imagine my surprise and horror when I called xFinity and was told by H (customer service) that xFinity does not service my home telephone number! The phone number I’ve had for the past 24 years is, according to H, owned by “some other carrier”. I assured H that I was holding in my hand a work order and a change in task form, confirming a switch to xFinity and dated 10/15/2010.

Before I switched, I specifically (and several times) asked, will I be able to keep my phone number. I was repeatedly assured, by both the salesperson and the installer, my phone number would not change. I NEVER would have switched had I known the number I’ve had for 24 years, that is associated with my life – family, friends, church, social, business, work – would be lost because of a “mistake” on the part of Comcast. I’ve applied for several jobs, using my home number as my contact.

C was supposed to call me back in an hour to let me know if I can get my old number back, but I guess she either forgot or got busy.

Anyway, over an hour later, I called and was told by C that the number had been “improperly ported over” the first time (on Oct 15th). However, this time, it has been handled correctly. I asked if I would receive my old telephone number and C asked what number is that. By this time, Comcast has lost my trust, so I asked her to read off the number I would be getting. Yes, it is my number. And, it takes four days to get it back…that’s four days without phone service. I didn’t even ask if I’ll also be getting the phone number for my fax line! That number is a much lower priority.

No one should have to go through this! In total, I spent over an hour holding on the phone, not to mention the stress and fear of “losing” my phone number and possibly important calls from family, jobs. I’m advising everyone I know (and even folks I don’t know via the web) don’t switch to xFinity! In 4 days we’ll see if I get my old number back. If I do….even if I don’t…. I’m calling Verizon and begging them to take me back – and praying I’ll get my old telephone number back.

If you’ve unexpectedly lost your number due to a carrier change, how did you get it back?

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