Local Phone CO-OP Won't Recognize New Cell Numbers

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Big problem for me. Last spring we shut off all of our telephone service with the Hill Country (Texas) Telephone Cooperative (HCTC) and went solely to a new Cell provider in the Kerrville, TX area. Since we signed up in May 07, the new cell phone numbers can't be dialed as a local call from HCTC numbers. At first there was a dispute going on between the phone companies that hadn't been worked out - now they won't finalize the agreement because HCTC wants to charge an exorbitant minute rate to the cell provider. Apparently this rate being charged is significantly higher than that charged to any other provider in this area. I figure this is true since the cost of the cell service is so low that MANY people have done the same as I have and closed out their regular telephone service with HCTC and HCTC sees this as a way to recoup some losses.

What can be done about this?? The way I look at it is that phone numbers don't BELONG to a phone company. They just have permission to manage them from the FCC (i.e. from the people of the US), and can charge fees (phone bills) for this management. I w0uld figure that there are controls on this monopolistic power that can be accessed through my Congressman if necessary. Since I am retired I have plenty of time to "tilt with windmills" and will be taking this one on.

Any ideas??

[js2743]

i had about the same thing happen with my dial up number i contacted the fcc and they refered me back to my state goverment. the states have to take care of problems like these but contact the fcc and they will get you the number you need to call. it only took one call for me and it was fixed, the number was a local number but the local phone co-op wanted to charge long distance for it and that was a big no no. they have internet service and the one i was getting was like 15 dollars cheaper so about the same way your cell bill is seems like.

[Bay Mare]

Start with your state agency that is charged with regulating things like phone, cable, electric, etc. In Virginia it is called the State Corporation Commision and in other states I believe it is the Public Utilities Commision. See if there is a section in your phonebook that has goverment listings (the Blue Pages in some areas) for phone numbers.

Hope this helps,
AngelaW

[freeinalaska]

I work for a local telephone company and am responsible for the switching and routing for issues like this. While usually not to difficult to solve technically these things can get held up on a regulatory level for years. It took us almost three years to solve an issue like yours by no fault of ours recently, and was only resolved by customers complaing to the state PUC. Here's a link to the Texas PUC for complaints.
http://www.puc.state.tx.us/ocp/complaints/complain.cfm

[littlebitfarm]

I took my landline number and put it on my cell and then canceled the landline service. Could you get a landline for a couple months and then transfer the local number and dump the landline?

Kathie

[texican]

apparently there are no free rides... if a lot of customers go wireless, the wired service will either go under, or have to raise prices... raise prices and more people will go wireless... a perfect death spiral... Wired service cost money in materials and maintenance, a lot more than a cell tower...

I think they probably 'recognize' the numbers very well, but simply won't connect with those numbers.... for financial reasons.

If wireless had been cheaper back in 2000, and two way satellite was more common, I wouldn't have gotten a land line. Cost me over 2200$ for the line, actual installation cost was four times that... they plan on recouping those fees over the years.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

"I took my landline number and put it on my cell and then canceled the landline service. Could you get a landline for a couple months and then transfer the local number and dump the landline?"

You are talking about "portability" of phone numbers. As luck would have it small phone cooperatives are exempt from having to follow the portability rules.