The Process of Porting Telephone Numbers

 The Local Number Portability mandate of 2003 set provisions for a consumer's right to keep an existing telephone number when switching service providers. The action was motivated in part by consumer complaints and the FCC's desire to address non-competitive practices within the industry. The LNP covers portability within the same geographical area and applies to wireline, wireless and VoIp services. Porting your telephone number only takes a few steps and usually goes into affect the same day you place the order.
Contact your new service provider to initiate the porting process. Do not terminate service with current provider until porting is complete through the new provider. Your current provider may charge an early termination fee and require you to pay unpaid fees.
During the period of porting your number from one provider to the next, your phone services may be limited. You may not receive all incoming calls and 911 service may be restricted or disabled. Porting from wireline to wireless service may take up to several days. The LNP mandate requires carriers to port within one day, but some service providers still exceed the deadline. Porting service from one wireless carrier to the next generally takes only a few hours.
According to the LNP mandate, service providers may charge a fee to cover the costs of porting numbers. Before initiating the porting process, ask your new provider about fees. Service providers may not refuse to port numbers even if a consumer refuses to pay porting fees. However, they may continue to bill for the service.
If your service provider refuses to port your number within the same geographic area, you may file a complaint directly with the FCC. The Federal Communications Commission provides an online complaint form at fcc.gov/complaints. Complaints may also be filed at online consumer sites like ripoffreport.com. Consumer's file publically viewable complaints on the site and companies are permitted to refute the complaints.

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What Is the Verizon ESN?

 A Verizon electronic serial number, or ESN, is a unique number assigned to mobile phones that helps identify the validity of the device. Verizon verifies the ESN every time a call is placed or a phone is activated. According to the Telecommunications Industry Association, phones manufactured in the mid-2000s began transitioning from the use of ESNs to a newer Mobile Equipment IDentifier (MEID) standard.
A Verizon cellphone's ESN is a permanent number assigned to that device by the manufacturer. Verizon confirms the legitimacy of each mobile phone using its network by verifying the device's ESN each time a call is placed. This is done by checking the cellphone's ESN against a database of serial numbers approved for use on Verizon's network. The ESN also serves as a security measure to prevent unauthorized phones from being activated. If a cellphone was reported stolen or is being used on a different account, Verizon can determine that the device is not eligible for activation by checking its ESN.
The location of the ESN varies from one model of cellular phone to another, but commonly, it is printed on the back of the phone, sometimes under or below its battery. The ESN is also burned into the cellphone's microchip at the factory. The ESN is an 11-digit number, but it can also be represented in a hexadecimal (HEX) form comprised of a sequence of eight numbers and letters.
Mobile phones began transitioning from ESNs to Mobile Equipment Identifiers, or MEIDs, because manufacturers had run out of available number combinations. An MEID is typically found in the same location as an ESN and it is used in the same manner by Verizon. An MEID is comprised of a 14-digit combination of letters and numbers. The first character in an MEID is always a letter, from "A" through "F."
A cellphone's mobile identification number (MIN) is also communicated to Verizon along with its ESN. The MIN differs from the ESN because it can be altered by Verizon as needed, and is not linked strictly to a cellphone but also the person and account to which it has been assigned. The MIN helps identify each device being used on the network at any given time, and it is used in conjunction with an ESN to prevent unauthorized activity.

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My Verizon Phone Wants to Dial When I Am Listening to VCast

VCast is Verizon's content service that customers can use to download music, videos and other media. If your phone wants to dial contacts while you're listening to VCast, you may have a software issue that requires attention. Depending on the cause of your problem, you may be able to resolve the issue without contacting customer service.
When your Verizon phone wants to dial while you're listening to VCast, perform a soft reset. The phone may be caught up in a temporary process that may be prompting it to auto-dial. A soft reset can possibly stop the process and allow you to continue to listen to VCast without interruption. The reset doesn't cause any alterations to your phone's data or settings. To reset your phone, remove the battery for at least one minute. After replacing the battery, you can power on the phone and restart VCast.
Check for new updates to your phone's software if the problem persists. The problem may be related to a software issue that has already been addressed by Verizon through an update. Most updates are available to download and install directly to the handset without the need to connect your phone to a computer. An active data connection is needed to download the software update. Once your phone is updated, restart it to determine if the problem was resolved.
As a last resort, you can hard reset your Verizon phone if it still dials while when you're listening to VCast. A hard reset is an option if the problem is related to a software or hardware issue that wasn't resolved with an update. The reset completely wipes all of the data off your phone and restores it to its factory settings. Before resetting your phone, back up any data such as music and pictures. After the process is completed, check VCast to determine if the problem was solved.
Persistent problems with dialing while listening to VCast may be an indication of a bigger issue with your phone. Contact Verizon's technical support to receive additional troubleshooting assistance. A replacement phone may be issued if the problem persists. Depending on your mobile service plan and warranty, the replacement phone may be issued at no charge to you. If it's determined that the problem is related to misuse, you may need to pay the cost of your service deductible or be charged the full price of the phone.
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