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Keep Your Phone Number FAQ
What is Local Number Portability
(LNP)?
Local Number Portability is the ability for a customer
to change their local service provider, physical location
or calling services without having to change his or her phone
number. This means that you can switch to Lingo digital phone service from your current phone
service provider and keep your current phone number! Lingo offers Local Number Portability as an added benefit to our customers. Unfortunately while we do our best to complete portability requests, we cannot guarantee that all numbers will be able to be transferred to Lingo. You are responsible for subscription or usage charges for both your Lingo service and existing local phone service during the transfer, even if it takes longer than the estimated 15 business days. The money back guarantee period will not be extended beyond 30 days.
What is a LNP Letter of Authorization
(LOA)?
A letter of authorization is official documentation that you authorize the transfer of your existing phone number from your current
phone service provider to Lingo. This document is the official record that your current provider requires to
allow the number to be transferred. You can now complete the Letter of Authorization electronically. Login to your Lingo account at
Lingo.com, click Support in the left menu and then the Transfer Phone Number link. A link to the
electronic form is also
provided in your confirmation e-mails.
I want to sign up for Lingo and would like
to transfer my existing phone number to Lingo, what do I need
to do?
- Choose the
Lingo calling plan right for you and click Sign Up Now.
- On the second page of the order process, click the button next to "I want to keep my existing phone
number" and enter your phone number.
- Complete the rest of your order.
- Lingo will send you a confirmation email within 48 hours to confirm receipt
of your LOA and start the process to transfer your phone
number. You can check the status of your number transfer
at any time by logging in to your account and Lingo.com,
clicking Support in the left side navigation and then Transfer
Phone Number.
Important:
- Make sure that the address on the phone bill is the exact
service address for the active number you wish to transfer.
If it is not, please provide us with the service address
for that number.
I am an existing customer and would
like to transfer my existing phone number to my Lingo digital phone service account, what steps
do I need to take to make this happen?
- Contact Lingo Customer Care by phone or e-mail and provide
them the number you wish to transfer.
- Login to your account, click Support and then click on Transfer Phone Number link.
- Follow the on screen instructions to complete the Letter
of Authorization.
- Lingo will send you a confirmation email within 48 hours
to confirm receipt of your LOA and start the process to
transfer your phone number. You can check the status of
your number transfer at any time by logging in to your account
and Lingo.com, clicking
Support in the left side navigation and then Transfer
Phone Number.
Important:
- Make sure that the address on the phone bill is the exact
service address for the active number you wish to transfer.
If it is not, please provide us with the service address
for that number.
What happens once I submit my LOA
to Lingo?
Once Lingo receives your LOA, we will send you a confirmation email and contact your current phone service provider to initiate the transfer of your phone number.
How do I find out the status of
my transfer request?
You can check the status of your number transfer at any time by logging in to your account and Lingo.com, clicking Support and then Transfer Phone Number. You will also receive e-mail notifications from Lingo when your LOA has been received, when we receive a scheduled date for the transfer of your phone number, and when your transfer has been successfully completed. If you don’t receive these e-mails, please check your spam filter settings to ensure that you can receive e-mails from the Lingo.com domain.
What if I change my mind and don’t
want to transfer my number to Lingo?
If you decide to cancel your request to transfer your phone number to Lingo, login to your account at Lingo.com, click Support in the left side navigation and then Transfer Phone Number. If your phone number is already scheduled to be transferred within 48-72 hours we may not be able to stop the transfer, however please contact Customer Care immediately to determine your options.
How long does the transfer of my
phone number take?
The transfer process takes an average of 15 business days
from the time we receive your completed documents. If any
information is missing on the documents, it will delay the
process. After we receive permission from your current carrier,
we will email you with the date that your phone number will
be transferred. When your phone number has been transferred
we will email you again to let you know that the process
has been completed. You are responsible for subscription or usage charges for both your Lingo service and existing local phone service during the transfer, even if it takes longer than the estimated 15 business days. The money back guarantee period will not be extended beyond 30 days.
Why does it take an average of 15
business days to transfer my phone number?
The number transfer process involves multiple providers to
facilitate moving your phone number. Each provider has
a set of procedures with respect to the transfer, and verification/authorization
procedures sometimes require additional research to process
correctly.
Important: Once your request has been sent to your service provider
to process, your provider may reject the request due to lack
of correct information, or missing information on the request.
This is why it is important to complete the LOA thoroughly
and provide an accurate phone bill prior to sending the request.
Should I contact my current carrier
to disconnect my service?
No. You should NOT disconnect your service. Doing so may cause
you to lose ownership of the number before it has been moved
to Lingo. Once your phone number has been transitioned to
Lingo, your service will automatically disconnect with your
current provider if that was the only phone number on
your account. Contacting your current service provider may actually
cause delays in the process. You are responsible for subscription or usage charges for your existing phone service during the transition period to your account with Lingo.
What if I move before my number
is transferred?
If you are planning to move before your phone number is ported to
Lingo, you still should not disconnect your current local
service. You should contact your current service provider and explain
that a transfer is in process. Tell them that you would like
to keep your account and phone number active even though it
will not be tied to a service address for a short period of
time. In this situation, we recommend forwarding all calls from
this number to your temporary Lingo number to ensure you don’t
miss any important calls.
Why do you give me a temporary phone number
if my number transfer only takes a few weeks?
During the number transfer process, we provide you a temporary
phone number so that you can begin to use Lingo and all its
free features immediately. This way you will not need to depend
on your former phone company while the transfer to your Lingo service takes place.
Why can't I transfer my number?
Sometimes phone numbers can’t be transferred to Lingo. The most common reasons are:
- You have an outstanding balance with your current service provider.
Please work with your current service provider to resolve the balance
and contact Lingo to confirm that we can continue with the
transfer.
- You have a “PICC freeze” on your phone number. Please contact
your local (and long distance) provider to have the PICC
freeze removed and then contact Lingo to confirm that we
can continue with the transfer.
- You have distinctive ring on your phone number. Please
contact your local provider to have the distinctive ring
disabled and then contact Lingo to confirm that we can continue
with the transfer.
- You have multiple phone numbers or lines and the provider
is unsure which to transfer. Be sure to specify the phone
number to transfer in your Letter of Authorization.
- If you have DSL, see the FAQ Can I transfer a DSL number
to Lingo? for information on options for DSL customers.
- Some local service providers do not have the technical capabilities
to port phone numbers.
- We are not able to transfer cellular numbers at this time.
- We are not able to transfer international numbers.
- Lingo's digital phone service calling does not yet have a porting relationship in a few
local calling areas.
Can I transfer a cell phone number?
Yes. You can transfer a cell phone number by contacting Customer Care and provide the following information:
- Last 4-digits of your social security number.
- Your account number for your cellular service provider.
- Your account PIN.
I have an international phone number,
can I transfer it to Lingo?
No. At this time, Lingo can only transfer US phone numbers.
Can I transfer a DSL number to Lingo?
Most DSL providers require that you have a phone number
for them to bill your services. In order to transfer a phone number
associated with a DSL account, you need have the DSL removed
from that line and assigned to another number (you would need
two phone numbers on one account for a short period to ensure that
you do not lose DSL service). Lingo can then transfer your
number once this change is complete. Another option is to
replace your DSL line with cable internet access. If you select
this option, be sure that you don't cancel your phone service
until your number is moved to Lingo. Finally, some DSL providers
are beginning to offer “naked” DSL, which would allow you
to move your phone number. Check with your DSL service to determine
if this is an option.
Can fax numbers be transferred to
Lingo?
Yes a fax number can be transferred to either a Lingo Residential or Business calling plan. The process is the same as described in the
previous questions.
How do I transfer multiple phone numbers
to Lingo?
You can transfer two phone numbers to Lingo's digital home phone service. If you are a
new customer, you can request one to transfer during sign
up. After your order is placed, contact Lingo Customer Care
to request the transfer of the second number. If you are an
existing customer, contact Lingo Customer Care to place the
request. You will need to complete separate LOA forms for
each number transferred.
How will I know if my local phone number
has been ported?
You will receive an email from Lingo when the transfer of
your number has been completed.
Why am I still receiving bills from
my old provider after my number already transferred to Lingo?
Depending on your billing cycle with your old provider, your transfer might have taken place in the middle of the cycle. That is why you
would receive a bill after your phone number already transferred. Another reason you may be billed after your number transferred is that
your old provider may not have fully processed the transfer in their systems. This means that your number still remains active somewhere
internally at your old service provider even though it is working with Lingo. You should contact your old provider and explain that the
number has been transferred to Lingo. You can use the number transfer confirmation e-mail you received from Lingo as proof.
Why do I see activity on my Lingo account
before my number is transferred?
You will see activity on your Lingo account before your number transfers if you have enabled call forwarding on your lines. If you have
a number transfer in process, calls from other Lingo customers to the number you are transferring will appear as incoming calls.
Why am I paying for Lingo digital phone service
if my number has not transferred yet?
You can begin to enjoy Lingo's service and great rates while
we transfer your phone number. The temporary number given at sign
up allows you to make and receive calls and access all the
included calling features while you wait for your number to
transfer.
Why is my Lingo phone ringing if
my number has not transferred yet?
While your phone number is being transferred you may receive calls
on your Lingo phone even though the person dialed the number
still with your local service provider. This occurs if the
caller is also a Lingo customer and is due to how internet
phone calls are placed. (These “Lingo network” calls are also
included at no charge in all of our plans). If a non-Lingo
customer calls your number prior to the transfer, it will
ring on the phone of the current provider of that number and
not your Lingo phone line.
What happens to my temporary number once my current phone number is transferred?
Lingo will notify you when your phone number has been transferred. At that time you will need to decide if you wish to keep the phone number assigned during the order process at a cost of $4.95 per month. If you choose not to keep the phone number originally assigned to you, you must cancel it to avoid charges. The easiest way to remove the phone number is to login to your account at Lingo.com, choose My Plan from the menu on the left side, then click Universal Number, and follow the onscreen instructions.
What is the cost if I keep my temporary
Lingo Number?
US numbers $4.95 per month
Canada numbers $5.00 per month
International numbers $10.00 per month
If I transfer a number to Lingo,
what number is shown on Caller ID displays?
You have the option of keeping your temporary assigned number
or canceling that number. If you choose to keep the original
number in addition to the number that you transferred to your Lingo,
you can select which number will be the primary number on
the account. The primary phone number is the only number that will
appear if the person you are calling has a caller ID display.
If you cancel the universal number assigned when you first
received Lingo's phone service, then the number that you transfer to
Lingo will automatically become the primary phone number.
How do I change which number is
shown on Caller ID displays?
Your primary Lingo phone number is the number shown on Caller ID displays when you call someone. To change which Lingo number is primary: Login to your account by clicking Login from the upper right corner of the screen, choose My Plan from the menu on the left side and then click Universal Number. Click the radio button next to the phone number you want to designate as primary.
What if I want to transfer my Lingo number to another phone service provider?
You may transfer your Lingo phone number to another provider if you originally transferred it to Lingo. You need to request the transfer from your new service provider. Lingo will NOT automatically cancel your phone service. You must contact Lingo’s Account Management Team to cancel your account when the transfer is complete.The Account Management Team is available at 1-800-505-5043. Hours
of operation: Monday - Friday between 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST, and
Saturday & Sunday between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST.
For more information about Lingo, visit www.Lingo.com.
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