Straight Talk Wireless - Straight-Talk Porting Squatting; Secrets every consumer should know

I have Verizon and six months ago I switched one of my lines over to test Straight Talk. Straight talk uses ATT or Verizon towers, depending on the location and phone choice you select from them. I did a BYOP (Bring own Phone) and placed it on the Verizon network for better coverage.

After discovering the *** poor restrictions of service placed on straight-talk by Verizon, I could be looking at ten Verizon towers and not having signal to make a call on the straight-talk phone, while my other Verizon based phone bleeds with 5 bars and crystal clear service in the same spot. Even tried to updates roaming towers by dialing *22890. (straight talks programming #)

Not to mention dropped calls and SLOW data services, even though I did not once go even close to using 1GB; much less the 2GB/3GB restriction and the *** poor tech support in which I have spent hours with straight talk due to the lack of service representatives abilities to comprehend and speak fluent English. All the way around, Straight-Talk (Tracphone) is sub-standard.

I finally decided to switch that line back to Verizon. I ordered my phone number to be ported back to Verizon through Verizon which assured me there would be no problem and that it would take from four hours to 48 hours to have port completed. I agreed to the move. I contacted Straight Talk to verify the porting request had been completed. Straight-talk provided me the ticket# and stated the request had been processed.

After 72 hours, I contacted Verizon sales rep I has spoken with and asked why it was taking so long. They stated Straight talk had released the number. Within a few minutes, I received a text message from Verizon stating their would be delays in the port due to some unknown issues... (no ***!) And of course by this time, my minutes had expired on my straight talk cct... now I'm without service except for 911 calls.

So I contacted Verizon's porting department and had "a come to Jesus meeting" with straight talk conferenced in on the same call; GUESS WHAT??? I gave Straight Talk the ticket number to review the completed porting request. Straight -talk rep confirmed the ticket had been processed.

Verizon porting rep stepped up to asked straight talk what the unknown issue was... and of course straight-talk danced around the question as they did not know the answer......yeah right!

So Verizon reps answer was to setup a temp number to the device until the issue could be resolved. I declined, why? because that solution caused another issue; Billing. Verizon's billing strategy is to incorrectly bill you and wear you down until you pay for any charge they can bill you for....(another story). I didn't want to be hammered by incorrect bills.

So I wait and I call three times a day to straight talk and Verizon with the same result.... Everything appears to be STUCK and no one knows why.

After pile-driving through DAYS of straight talk supervisors, (they knew I would not give up on this, as I had clearly stated to each straight talk rep.) I discovered something every consumer SHOULD know but the Wireless companies don't share.

First, porting a telephone number aka (WLNP or LNP) wireless number porting or Local number porting Federal legislation does NOT have a time limit set by the gov't. The rule of thumb the wireless companies use and the gov't encourages is 48 hours or less; of which four hours is the norm. for a porting transfer for an active number.

Now on to the secret; TEN days later the Verizon rep calls me and states Straight talk had released the number but had time stamped the release for a future date; TEN days from the the date of the request! This is the SCAM. a company can release your number but schedule a future activation release date!!!!!!

Of course I called straight talk back! and jumped up through the ladder to identify and pinpoint the specific reason. Reason? According to straight talk, my acct did not have enough time left on the account to be active during the porting process; thus causing the "unknown" issue and delays.

It's bull! Something had slipped my mind that I had repeatedly ignored through all the straight talk agents conversation... that is until not... light-bulb moment! They wanted me to pay for an additional month of service while the port transfer was being processed. IMHO it was to squeeze another $45 out of my pocket since they know they were losing a customer.

This was an ill attempt by straight-talk to solicit for money and to punish the consumer by impairing the porting and communication process.

BBB is not going to do anything; but my congressman can. I've now started an action to propose to time limitations on the WLNP/LNP process for consumer protection. From there, once its enacted, will allow legislation for the FCC to impose sanctions and fines on the wireless companies such as straight-talk for violating consumer rights.