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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.
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 / Internet
& Security 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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