Making
The Switch
You must switch all of your services
You should switch both your local toll call and long distance
service, otherwise you may face not one but two long distance
bills each month.
If your account has more than one phone number you must switch
all of your numbers to the new long distance account. If
you are not careful, when your old service is terminated you
will have numbers with no long distance service.
Making the switch
Many carriers will make the switch for you, as long as you
do not have a PIC Freeze on the account (see next item). Many
will do the switch electronically, eliminating the need for
most phone calls.
Many carriers use a verification service to prove they have
not slammed your service. For example, if you use our
menu to sign up for Unitel's 4.5 cent service on line they will
ask when they should call for verification - now, an hour, tomorrow,
etc.
The carrier will give you a PIC Code and name, which may be
different from what you expect. For example, our Uni-Tel
service is listed as "Global Crossing".
You will need to let your phone company you are switching and
give them the PIC Code and carrier name. You can verify that
your new service is active by dialing 1-700-555-4141. The recording
should tell you the name of your new carrier.
You may need to un-freeze your account
Your phone company can put a
PIC Freeze on your account to prevent unauthorized changes being
made to your service. You must have them unfreeze the account
before you switch carriers and re-freeze it after the change
is in effect.
Toll-free numbers
To switch a toll-free number you must submit a "Letter
of Responsible Organization", or "RespOrg", to
your new carrier. You will have to request the RespOrg
form from your new carrier, fill it out, and fax it back to
them. Your old carrier will continue to carry and bill your
toll-free calls until the RespOrg has been processed.
- If your toll-free number requires callers to dial a PIN
then it is a shared number that cannot be transferred.
After the switch
Once you have switched your long distance service
you must check to see that you have covered all of your bases.
- Advise your former long distance and local toll call companies
that you have changed carriers and have them close out your
account(s).
- Make certain you have switched all of your numbers and both
your local toll call and long distance service.
- Ensure you have sent a Letter of Responsible Organization
(RespOrg) to your new carrier to transfer your toll-free numbers.
- If you have a PIC Freeze on you account notify the phone
company to put it back into effect after you have confirmed
that the switch is in effect.
- Cancel your calling cards with the old carrier.
- Check your billing statements carefully for the next month
or two.
- Keep good records. Some carriers manage to re-instate old
accounts and then present a rather hefty bill for services
not rendered many months later.
One more thing...
Now, to improve the quality of
your life, contact the Direct Marketing Association (please
see our Click
Picks
Home & Family Direct
Marketing page) and have them remove you from their tele-marketing
and direct mail lists. Within a few months the volume of
solicitations you receive should fall of drastically!
Epilogue
If all of this seems like a lot of fun, just think how much
more fun you will have when the electric, gas, and water utilities
are de-regulated.
It starting to happen even as you read this. Enjoy!
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