[metalhawk]

After the recent 25% hike to my Primus landline service, I decided there was no way I was paying over $45 (with taxes, network fees, etc) for a service I use less than 15 minutes per day. Not being sure when my 1-year commitment ended, I contacted their customer service via email and inquired. As part of the reply, the rep "reminded" me that I must give 30 days notice or else face a penalty fee (one month of service + network fee).

Now, this is where I think there's some hostage-taking going on. The one thing that is always strongly mentioned when you want to port your phone number to another company is never to contact your current provider and say you will cancel, because that's a sure way to lose your number (and it can't be retrieved) but rather let your new provider do all the work. So on the one hand, if I want to avoid the penalty, I have to tell Primus I will cancel in 30 days, which (I assume**) will cause me to lose my number, or port (as we are all used to) by signing up with another provider and let them transfer my number but then I incur the penalty. It doesn't seem right.

Anyone else had this problem?


** I say 'assume' because in 3 subsequent attempts to get a straight answer from Primus' reps specifically about porting my number, the "porting" part of my question / will I lose my number? was always ignored with the emphasis being put on "you won't pay a penalty if you tell us 30 days ahead".

 

[PeterK]

Why not have your new provider simply switch you and ensure that the transition takes 30 days to activated the new account?

Not sure if you can do this but that may work.

 

[hugh]

Anyone else had this problem?

I'm not sure why you are denigrating Primus. The 30 day rule is the same with all providers.

When I transferred from old provider to new provider, I called New Provider about 45 days ahead of when I wanted to port things over. It all got done and I never was charged any extra.

Have you discussed with your new provider, what did they say?

 

[ScaryBob]

You might want to check this thread. While some providers would previously allow a third party provider to request service transfer, not all would. According to the new ruling, this is now required when requested. Phone number transfer, on request, has been required for some time. As previously mentioned, 30 days notice is standard in the industry.

Just call the new provider and ask them to transfer your service and phone number in 30 days. It wouldn't be a bad idea to notify Primus that the new provider will be requesting the service transfer and that you want the number on the account transferred. OTOH, it should not be necessary.

 

[metalhawk]

I will take your word(s) for it, but again, for years we have been warned NEVER, EVER to contact your current provider, since that's usually a sure way to lose your phone number.

 

[Darkman00]

hugh,
you are wrong!

NOT ALL the providers need 30 days notice to switch landline phone...

at the very least, in Winnipeg .. - if switching landline phone from MTS or SHAW .. no 30 day notice is needed (or so i ve been told anyhow)

metalhawk
be very careful how you "play" this with Primus!

when i saw that 25% increase a month ago.. and called them to give 30 days notice due to switching to different provider....

almost got caught there..
i am not an expert with that stuff..
The CSR told me .. that if the switch is done before 30 days.. - then i will be penalized like 60 bucks or something like that...
So i said.. "don't worry .. i will not get penalized"
So we counted 30 days.. - and she toldl me on which day it was "OK" to switch provider not to get penalized by them...

But then.. - i guess she was going to just "cancel me" on that day..
like i don't know .. - to me it's all the same..

But then she goes... WAIT A MINUTE .. and put me on hold..
When she came back.. - she told me that instead of of canceling me after 30 days (as she was going to do) .. in order for me NOT TO LOSE my phone number.. - they better keep me alive there

So i would have to contact my new Landline provider.. and tell them to "hook me up" after 30 days (not to be penalized by Primus) .. but .. then ... my Primus will be physically canceled when SHAW (my new provider takes over) .. etc...

That's the way to play it..
Telling you this just in case..

30 days were over on Saturday for me....
Shaw technician came here on Sunday morning .. and installed their phone system (Black box .. and other thing (right at the phone plug)) ...

The phone is working! .. BUT .. it's still PRIMUS currently..

Shaw told me that the physical switch will happen this Wednesday, March 23rd, sometime...
I ll get a Test Phone call from SHAW that day.. or something like that..
at that point i guess.. i ll be totally "off Primus" .. and they should stop charging me for the phone service...
and on that day SHAW will start charging me for their service...

Something like that....

 

[hugh]

hugh,
you are wrong!

NOT ALL the providers need 30 days notice to switch landline phone...

I never said that so how could I be wrong.

 

[Darkman00]

hugh,
maybe my English is poor .. but you said above:

I'm not sure why you are denigrating Primus. The 30 day rule is the same with ALL PROVIDERS.

so reading this .. in simple words i mentioned .. that no 30 days is needed to cancel landline phone with MTS or SHAW

 

[hugh]

Read post #1. The 30 day rule has nothing to do with how long it takes to switch. It's how much notice you must give when you cancel.

What providers allow you to cancel without notice?

 

[Darkman00]

just said that above.. and i will repeat:

.. if i am not msitaken.. - Here in Winnipeg, anyhow .. - both MTS and SHAW .. - allow you to cancel (speaking about landline phone service ONLY) without 30 day notice.

 

[hugh]

Well this thread disagrees with you

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=129654

According to it, notice is required but it does seem that Shaw recently reduced the cancellation period from 30 to 10 days but not same day as you imply.

Another search on this forum had a member saying they had to cancel MTS TV 30 days ahead of time so I'm surprised that Phone can be canceled same day.

Bell and Rogers both require 30 days as I believe do Cogeco and Videotron.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1070384


Therefore, I don't understand why Primus is being slammed since its common industry practice to require notice.

 

[Darkman00]

hugh,

that's old or incorrect info..

I JUST called MTS for example.. pressed 4 to disconnect services .. pressed something else for Home Phone.. then pressed 0.

The CSR came to the phone.. and after i asked him..
He said: "NO 30 days notice is needed to cancel Landline Home phone service"
If you want to cancel other services .. like Internet or TV .. - then YES .. 30 days notice is needed ... BUT not to cancel your Home Phone...
Basically .. - one doesn't need to call MTS to cancel..
Just call different provider.. and when they switch you over .. MTS will get cancelled..
Won't physically be the same day of course .. but, again, no 30 day notice is needed to be given to MTS..

and same thing with SHAW for sure.. - for that i didn't need to call them
When speaking to them few days ago.. - they specifically told me, that unlike with Primus, with SHAW i would not require to give any notice at all to cancel SHAW landline phone service..

Mind you MTS guy told me.. - that if i am with someone else .and want to switch to MTS .. it will not happen the same day... - it will take about 5 days or so..
But that is already different subject matter.

 

[CamDAB]

Hi folks,

Maybe this will assist in this discussion.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/whatsnew/2011/m0318.htm

Note that there's a news release pertaining to provider switches in both broadcast and telephone industries.

The link takes you to the CRTC page for March 18 2011 and you can follow the various links from there.

HTH

Cameron

 

[ScaryBob]

IIRC, it didn't take 30 days to transfer my phone from Bell either. OTOH, I always call 30 days ahead for any cancellations of service. That's just in case. Also, when transferring service, do not cancel. Simply tell them that XYZ telephone is authorized to make changes on the account or to put a note on the account that that XYZ telephone will be requesting a transfer of service. It should not be necessary but I have run into situations where Bell refused to transfer services due to some technicality. Judging by the need for a CRTC ruling on the matter, it must have been an issue with some other providers.

 

[Darkman00]

thanks CamDAB

that info i think was mentioned already in one of other threads as well... - and surely is a "welcomed newis" for us, the consumer.

However, as far as those 2 Winnipeg companies (MTS and SHAW) are concerned vs. "no need to give 30 day cancellation notice when switching Landline Home Phone providers" ... - they operated like that already for sometime ... another words, well before that CRTC release came out...

Who knows.. maybe they were aware something like that is upcoming soon anyhow.. and switched to operate like that ahead of time

 

[hugh]

it didn't take 30 days to transfer my phone from Bell either.

Sigh. For the last time, I did not say it would take 30 days to transfer. I simply said that companies require a 30 day notice period but I stand corrected since the notification period is much less in the West (ie./ Shaw 10 days and apparently MTS requires no notification)

PLEASE NOTE: Cancellation Notice and Transfer time are NOT the same thing.

 

[Darkman00]

OTOH, I always call 30 days ahead for any cancellations of service. That's just in case...

LOL,
You are like me.. That's the good way to do things.. - cuz regardless of any rule.. - i ALWAYS would call the provider well ahead of time.. to dscuss any upcoming change of providers...

This way will be less surprises and mistakes.. and who knows .. - maybe if they want to keep me as a Customer.. they can offer me some kind of sweet deal .... then i ll continue to stay with them
.. in that case, of course, then i will need to call another provider and cancel with them the upcoming switch to their Network

 

[Darkman00]

hugh,

to correct you again.. so we have correct info as far as SHAW is concerned... :

not sure what was before.. - but no 10 day notice is needed with SHAW either to cancel or switch Home Phone..

Was told by SHAW CSR few days ago..

but just to make sure.. - i JUST CALLED Shaw.. - and they confirmed this.. NO NOTICE is needed either...
To swtch Home Phone away from SHAW.. - i would just call another provider and they would contact SHAW to switch the service over to them .. - will take about 5 days or so for the switch to occur...

And i was assured that no Penalty will occur from SHAW side to me, because of all that..

SO ..no notice AT ALL is needed to cancel or switch Home phone service as far as MTS or SHAW is concerned .. in Winnipeg here, anyhow

Unlike if canceling with Primus, of course, where 30 days cancellation notice IS required...

Hopefully this can change also soon, .. cuz of the upcoming CRTC ruling(s) mentioned above

 

[ScaryBob]

Sigh. For the last time, I did not say it would take 30 days to transfer.

Hugh, that was not directed at anything you said. It was just an observation. IIRC, it took about a week after the call to the new provider for the service to be transferred. No delay there. OTOH, Bell seems to want 30 days for any other cancellation. I remember when Rogers only required 2 days notice. Those days are long gone.

 

[Darkman00]

Here, Here! ... "Those days are long gone."

So instead of Primus penalizing us if 30 days notice is NOT given to them to cancel Home Phone service ... - Someone SHOULD penalize Primus for making us do so!