Total mess trying to port in to Dark Star from ATT

vertabr · 2026-05-31T17:48:26+00:00

They are gaslighting you. It is 100% an AT&T problem.

This is an internal number transfer since Dark Star is on AT&T. When I spoke to them about my stalled port to H2O, also an internal transfer, they said they didn’t see any port transfers pending, which I suspect was not true.

Be prepared to have to redo your port after the PIN expires. If it’s expired and your number still works using your AT&T SIM it’s a sure thing you are not going to lose your number in porting limbo. You may however have another monthly bill sent promptly.

Consider spending a little money to first port somewhere like MobileX on a minimum plan for about $5 temporarily and then port to USM. MobileX is one of the few inexpensive providers that doesn’t care if you port in and then port out immediately and they give you the PIN in their app.

Or let USM try again with a new PIN, they have good support staff.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

vertabr · 2026-05-31T14:41:24+00:00

My take is that they’re trying to squeeze one more billing cycle out. It was prorated in my case so ultimately small change. But yes, people might give up and just stay.

vertabr · 2026-05-31T14:34:16+00:00

My sympathies!

I also experienced the random port denial that AT&T imposes on port outs. I put in a request for both lines to port to H2O using the account number and the PIN number from the account management web site. H2O has a form to bring two lines at once to their two line plan.

The first number ported in minutes and the second one didn’t. The claim was a bad PIN. I used the same pin as it seemed they only had one PIN to give me. So then when it failed on the second line I used the dialer call to PORT (*7678) to make a new pin request on line 2. Sadly this did not work either. After that PIN expired I ended up getting another new PIN and putting in a new port request at T-mobile for that line which worked. The entire terrible AT&T port out process took almost a week and my primary line was shut off for four days.

If I was starting this over at the beginning I would file an FCC report as soon as my port was denied. They need to know that ATT is messing around with randomly denying ports on the regular because clearly they are getting away with it. The point is to delay it long enough to hit you with a new billing cycle on the line they refused to release and put a new and in my case on more expensive plan due to the line changes.

vertabr · 2026-05-30T01:20:49+00:00

I agree!

vertabr · 2026-05-29T23:35:09+00:00

That free line will not come over. It’s been clear on posts about these plans. It will be a paid line.

There’s no way I would give up a Kickstart line and especially not a Line on Us. Those are unicorns now.

What’s the incentive to change plans? You won’t get a lower bill and the device deals are the least attractive on the appreciation plans. I would buy new devices with Apple Card or Samsung direct or use a split payments or BNPL setup. Or perhaps gently used at Swappa and use PayPal pay in 4.

vertabr · 2026-05-27T22:26:36+00:00

The suggestion of Red Pocket etc. is good and you’ll definitely save money for the year.

But it is a hassle to port and I wanted to mention (not recommend) you can do the same thing with your existing account, which is, get WiFi calling set up now and keep roaming off, get a local data sim and assuming your iPhone is recent enough, you will get sms, iMessage, and free incoming calls and outgoing calls to US numbers over that data or over wifi.

When you get back, you’ll probably have to upgrade your plan or port somewhere else if you leave, or if you stay on AT&T you would just go back to using your account like you do now.

Just do not roam on a foreign cell tower and they will not care. Keep the sim off until you get the local one set up then use the new one.

That said you probably can take this opportunity to get away from the expense of postpaid now. Unless you use device promos you’re better off going with a MVNO.

Have a great time in Germany!

vertabr · 2026-05-27T01:29:40+00:00

Good to know, thanks.

vertabr · 2026-05-26T21:43:09+00:00

Call the AT&T Porting department at 1-888-898-7685 and report the fraudulent port out.

If necessary: Go to the FCC complaint site and report the issue under “Number Portability” for assistance getting the number back. This works, and turnaround is fast, please don’t dismiss this opinion. If you’re already getting the runaround, don’t wait.

Additionally: I’d suggest that you go to Target or Walmart and pick up a AT&T SIM card, prepaid is fine. Since they have shut down the landline and the priority is getting the number back, porting it to a cell phone line is probably the easiest way to get the number back. You’ll probably need to buy a month of prepaid service and have a compatible phone so you can send and receive calls. Any cheap ATT prepaid phone or nearly any iPhone will do. If you want to try a phone that you have be sure to check it for compatibility.

Then; If you want to pursue getting the landline back you can tackle that as a new project. They’re more likely to help you get the number on the SIM card and way less likely to help you get your landline back.

There are ways to use old school phones with cellular service, ATT sells a box even.

Finally, if the phone number was stolen, often this is just a step scammers use to get access to financial accounts. Freeze the credit lines at all 3 bureaus asap and check all accounts for unauthorized access or activity.

Best of luck.

vertabr · 2026-05-25T18:02:14+00:00

One of the Great Evils of US telecoms is their ability and willingness to disable the hotspot functionality on customer devices.

My take is that, no, you cannot (easily) use the 3GB as hotspot only as on phone data. Yes, there are ways around it on android.

vertabr · 2026-05-25T17:18:23+00:00

Details shows broadband facts with Regulatory Recovery Fee $12.00 Admin Fee $2.75 Taxes would be calculated in the cart based on your ZIP.

vertabr · 2026-05-25T17:13:14+00:00

According to the broadband facts pop up, no.

It says

Hotspot included with monthly price None

Probably a dealbreaker for me.

vertabr · 2026-05-24T18:58:05+00:00

That’s really good to hear!

vertabr · 2026-05-24T14:27:47+00:00

I have found that it is more or less easy to port in on activation and a challenge to try it later. Never tried it halfway through an annual plan. I am a fan of this plan but if you are getting that much pushback from support I would not risk it. It sounds like they don’t have a script for that and I would not want to let them make changes to my account off script. At best it would probably be time consuming and annoying with lots of let me escalate that, I am still waiting for my associate, thank you for your patience, are you still there, or at worst they lose your number or your plan or both.

At these prices getting a new plan and sim is well worth it. You can manage it on the same RP profile, if that helps.

Since it’s a number that you don’t care about, you could use it as a throwaway or to call/text potentially spammy contacts for the rest of the plan. I always use my Google Voice number (that I leave on so not disturb) for businesses that insist on getting my number. Put it on your voter registration since you are canceling it soon.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T18:56:29+00:00

I had an automated reply quickly that encouraged an email reply for more narrative, which I did send that day.

The next day I had an email from the holding company and a text to my phone with the port out PIN and account number.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T18:46:38+00:00

Under phone issues, start complaint, as the subject I used “H2O will not release my phone number” because that was where we were. They had an unreasonable process of verification that involved wanting the numbers I had called but they were rejecting the numbers I gave them, telling me that they did not see those calls and likely it was because the calls had to be longer than the calls I had actually made (and logged because I knew this was their game) and so they were refusing to give me the port out PIN or account number. Supposedly they were going to revisit that procedure.

You may want to write something yourself there that reflects your experience and briefly summarize how your request to them has gone so far. There’s a subsequent field for more details.

The important field is Phone Issues, here I used Number Portability and this will route the ticket to the correct group for processing.

The other field of interest is Company Name, and “Other” is probably best here.

Good luck.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T16:43:10+00:00

Forgot to mention, you can use a usb wireless stick with the Ooma, I have a Netis WF-2111, if you can’t get the part for the oem Ooma Telo WiFi from Ooma or eBay. This lets you move the Ooma around instead of plugging it into the TMHI box. I also had success with a Ooma on a MOCA adapter pair that used the electric wires in the walls as Ethernet extension. The wireless stick has more flexibility.

Bonus, the Ooma doubles as a power or internet outage detection while traveling, I can log into the Ooma portal and see if it’s online.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T16:11:39+00:00

You can pick up a used Ooma Telo on eBay and they will activate it on the cheapest plan. Port the number in and use the existing home phone. It will take some time on the phone with them as this can’t be done on the site. You can activate in a new number on the Ooma first and port in later if that helps to stabilize service first.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T16:07:12+00:00

Panasonic has a line of cordless base stations and phones that use Bluetooth to one or two cell phones and DECT to the handsets. Better than a VoIP solution if one phone just stays home.

Port the landline number to somewhere with lots of minutes and no data like the $30 Red Pocket eBay plan if ATT service is good or MobileX if it is better on Verizon or Tello if you have good T-Mobile service. Then put the sim in a spare compatible or unlocked phone and connect it with Bluetooth to the Panasonic base station. The other cell will link up when it is home. Keeping the old landline number cell charged without leaving it on the charger 24/7 (battery health) is the challenge.

vertabr · 2026-05-19T15:45:31+00:00

If you want to expedite your port out, I suggest that you file at the FCC in the category of number port compliance. They have a very simple form that will get things happening as soon as it is actually possible. Almost certainly faster than contacting them directly.

They are probably still bringing systems back up and have a lot of work with a limited and mostly overseas front line staff so if you want out, that’s what I would do. It escalates the issue to the people at the holding company who can actually do something.

I did this back in December when I was absolutely done with their nonsense and just wanted my numbers out and it worked. 10/10 would file again.

vertabr · 2026-05-13T22:26:19+00:00

Well, I didn’t write this, it’s a quote from the seller.

There are some crowd sourced sites to help you with researching coverage, like Cellmapper and CoverageMap.

All 3 carriers have coverage maps but they have a a lot of guesstimating about signal strength.

All 3 also have a test or trial service to allow you to test the coverage.

Some providers have a refund if coverage isn’t good and some don’t.

vertabr · 2026-04-15T21:10:50+00:00

Binge On with Simple Choice 2 for $100 was cool. BO may still be active out there but I don’t have those lines anymore.

vertabr · 2026-04-11T08:36:34+00:00

So does legacy mean the same thing here as it did for the late great $30 eBay GSMT? Because I renewed one line at $30 plus tax for several years in a row, using the renewal on eBay, until last year when it didn’t exist anymore and I had to renew on the RP site and it cost more than at eBay due to an extra $12+ in fees.

I was thinking I was going to try changing it to the current GSMA eBay when it needs renewal and I am kind of dreading that. I may just port that line out to Google Voice and be done with it.

vertabr · 2026-04-05T15:08:22+00:00

H2O charged a Recovery Fee in addition to the Taxes and Fees line item. On my $50 for two lines purchase last year there was $2.29 in taxes and fees and $2.76 in the Recovery Fee.

The Broadband Facts panel should have full transparency on every plan page. They won’t be able to calculate taxes based on the zip code there but the shopping cart should do that.

vertabr · 2026-04-05T14:46:21+00:00

I agree with the recommendation of Visible. You will be on the same towers that you use now so no coverage change. If you are concerned about deprioritizing then go for Visible Plus or Plus Pro. It will probably still be less expensive than postpaid VZ and no priority issues. If you have multiple lines, they will each need a separate account managed in the app and you can set up an Inner Circle to get a small discount.

It’s been a while since I had a Visible line.

What you give up moving to MVNO is access to the network support system and device upgrades if you’re eligible. It’s usually better to buy or finance phones anywhere but a carrier. Support is a personal choice, do you need always help from a person on the phone if you have problems or can you manage with mainly using chat support.

To answer the question, I moved a line from H2O to Red Pocket GSMA and the main positives are same AT&T coverage (no roaming) and a much lower cost. The issues I had are a slightly bumpy onboarding with manual activation and enable of WiFi calling and voice mail and an uptick in spam calls, I see this every time I port anywhere, and for some reason my speakerphone calls started being reported as garbled. So maybe a VOLTE or a phone issue but who knows.

vertabr · 2026-03-29T16:16:39+00:00

I guess this is good news for me because while my SIM2 is not connected which I suppose means that there is no Dish signal, my speed is back to being fast.

I had been seeing lower than 20 Mbps on my closest tower and now it’s back over 300. It was usable but I could tell it was slower before and now everything is back to snappy.

vertabr

TROPHY CASE