Anyone with knowledge of the phone companies, please help!!!

websurfer

Member
Feb 5, 2001
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Does anyone know how to find out which telephone company has a certain number. For example: 714-555-1212. How do I know who this number belongs to?

If I had a number I had 3 months ago, I would like to use it again. I was going through one CLEC but now went with another. I need to know who has my current number and no one seems to know. Or they don't want to tell me. If anyone knows like a website or somewhere I would appreciate it. Thanks.
 
Jan 18, 2001
14,465
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try calling that number to see if it has been recycled. If not, then any telco can use it. You will just have to pay for service of changing the number.
 

Mikelh

Senior member
Dec 9, 2000
212
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The area code tells you what area of the country, and the 555 is an ASSISTANCE call in every state.

As for them not telling you who has your old number, it's very simple; it's none of your business. I don't mean to sound rude, but it's a privacy matter. You're not entitled to know who owns your former phone number.

Michael
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
AFAIK the technology isn't there yet to allow any telco to use any number. That's exactly why there are so many area codes popping up. The CLECs and ILECs get assigned numbers by getting an entire exchange which is 10,000 numbers. If a certain CLEC only uses 100 numbers, the other 9900 in their exchange go unused and unusable by other CLECs. So you end up with only half the numbers in an area code in use, yet they are still running out of numbers.

They are working on technology to allow small divisions of numbers, but it's not there.

I wonder if the Public Utility Commission in your state would be able to tell you which exchanges are assigned to which CLECs, but it would probably be painful to reach the right person.
 

websurfer

Member
Feb 5, 2001
66
0
0
Thanks for the info guys.....but its not showing up on those links. Nobody has my old number and my phone company tells me that they do not have it and it belongs to someone else. I just need to know who so I can try getting my old number back.
 

kranky

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
21,019
156
106
Why wouldn't the number still belong to the CLEC you were using when you had the number?