Travel Technology - On an AT&T cellphone "Family Plan" can you have lines in different area codes?

If at all possible, I need to change one of the lines on our current AT&T cellphone "Family Plan" to a different area code than the other two lines.

I emailed AT&T Customer "Care" and got back a quick "No" answer (along with that canned "customer service" crapola about what a privilege it is for them to serve me. Why do companies think that stuff is helpful?).

I asked that my question be referred to a supervisor (of course, who knows what that term means). Response: the same. Only lines in the same metropolitan "market" can have different area codes.

On HowardForums there is someone who says that come September 1, AT&T is changing that rule, but there's no confirmation on-thread so far.

Since FlyerTalkers know everything, I thought I'd ask here.

(And, btw, please no recommendations to ditch AT&T and get _____ instead -- or let's discuss that on a different thread :) I've run the numbers with the ETFs and need to stay with AT&T for another year. Then I might be free)

Dig more on Hofo, but I think you'll find that the answer is "no" unless
1) You have an employer discount code, known as a FAN or
2) You open a small business account.

Technically they can do it, but for whatever strange business reason they aren't willing to do it for "regular" customers.

Dig more on Hofo, but I think you'll find that the answer is "no" unless
1) You have an employer discount code, known as a FAN ...

I do have a FAN on my account (which the Customer "Service" rep would have been able to see, I assume) from a university alumni/staff discount program.

I know that my parents are just recently changed their plan to both be on a family plan together and that they have two different area codes.

This may not be exactly the same case as the OP is wondering about -- they both already had these numbers and they are only different area codes because of an area code split that happened over a decade ago and they have both been with ATT/Cingular/ATT forever -- though it seems that it can be done.

... they both already had these numbers and they are only different area codes because of an area code split that happened over a decade ago....

Good to know. I assume that's what the AT&T rep meant by it being possible in the same "market."

But of course that would mean, I should think, that technically it's possible for any area code, no?

If that doesn't work, try getting a Google Voice number in the area code you want.

Good idea. Although I've made 2 requests dating back more than a month and no reply (using different emails).

Wirelessly posted (HTC-8500/1.2 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile 6.0) UP.Link/6.3.1.20.0)

here's my story. i had a 607 (ny) number with veriZon. wanted to get on the same plan as my bf with a 864 (sc) number. i had to ditch my 607 number, but got an 803 number.

It is definitely possible. I am currently in a family plan with lines from 3 completely different states. It can take some work to setup, but I've found if you go into a store you can usually find at least one person who knows how to do it and can help you. Or if your company is large enough that you have a corporate rep, I would speak with them directly as they generally have a lot of power to get stuff done as well.

I also want to speculate a little here that the reason for this policy is to more enforce some measure to keep people in check to make sure they are really all in the same family and at the same address. Furthermore, I don't know what the actual rules/laws/regulations are about assigning numbers to people outside of their actual area codes, though obviously GV does it and anyone can get a virtual number for an office so I would imagine that this is probably not too much of a factor.

Currently, it's only allowed on business accounts (included personal responsibility accounts with a FAN discount).
There's some speculation on Howard Forums that this will be available to all accounts soon: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1559313

To preface this was several years ago now, but we added my brother-in-law to a family plan with a different area code. It was a lot of trouble but AT&T eventually relented. Of course YMMV especially since you just want to change a number.

This may not be exactly the same case as the OP is wondering about -- they both already had these numbers and they are only different area codes because of an area code split that happened over a decade ago and they have both been with ATT/Cingular/ATT forever -- though it seems that it can be done.

The policy is area codes from different markets. If you live in NYC, for example, any of the many area codes (212, 646, 917, 718, etc.) could be used on the same family plan.

I also want to speculate a little here that the reason for this policy is to more enforce some measure to keep people in check to make sure they are really all in the same family and at the same address.

Of course, there are probably plenty of families spread out within a given area code as well, so that isn't a terribly sensible rationale.

Of course, there are probably plenty of families spread out within a given area code as well, so that isn't a terribly sensible rationale.

Yes, though I believe the actual qualification on most of the contracts to be considered a "family" is that everyone is suppose to technically reside at the same address.

Yes, though I believe the actual qualification on most of the contracts to be considered a "family" is that everyone is suppose to technically reside at the same address.
I see no such requirement with AT&T:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/plan-terms.jsp

One must live at an address in an AT&T service area, but each member of the family plan doesn't need to reside at the same place. In fact, AT&T lets you specify separate service addresses for each line (has to do with tax collection).

Other carriers may be different.

I was trying to do something similar - I had an account with 3 NJ numbers and wanted to port in a PA number from verizon whose area code wad in a different market (phila vs NYC). It seriously took a lot of trouble, but after enough attempts at CSR roulette I came out a winner.

What biz accounts are on with AT&T is called (I think) "National Biller" or NBI.. That billing system supports multiple markets on one account. As a policy it seems AT&T does not switch you at request. I think the reason here is that they need to close out your current account to move you over, and things like partial month billing and contract dates get tricky.

In my case, the port didn't happen the right way the first time and my contract dates were wiped out completely.. Another call to AT&T after my account was put on the national biller got the port straightened out.

The problem is ATT's legacy consumer billing systems. The country is carved into different 'markets', each served by one of two billing systems.

You can have multiple area codes from different regions on the Family Plan if the markets are using the same billing system - some reps will refuse to do it regardless, but as pointed out upthread, it can be done if the different markets are using the same billing system.

If you have two numbers from different billing system markets, there really is no way to do it unless you're on a business account which uses yet another system.

They've been promising to fix this for over two years - and so far, no progress.

I just did this today. I have 2 phones with a Wisconsin Area Code (414), and I wanted to add my sister to my family plan (she lives in Colorado, and has a 303 area code.)

Steps:
1. My sister Called 1-800-331-0500 (AT&T customer service)
2. She Initiated a Transfer of Billing Responsibility to Me. (To get the lines all under one name)
3. I called National Business Office (AT&T NBO) at 888-444-4410 option 2, 5.
4. I asked to add my sister's number to my account.
5. In order to keep the numbers the same, she had to create a new account and add all three lines to a new account number as a 'Small business account'

There was an 18$ transfer fee, and the contract on the 3rd line was extended to 11 months. Now, all three phones have the numbers they started with, and all on the 'family plan' which is saving us $45 a month.

I just did this today. I have 2 phones with a Wisconsin Area Code (414), and I wanted to add my sister to my family plan (she lives in Colorado, and has a 303 area code.)

Steps:
1. My sister Called 1-800-331-0500 (AT&T customer service)
2. She Initiated a Transfer of Billing Responsibility to Me. (To get the lines all under one name)
3. I called National Business Office (AT&T NBO) at 888-444-4410 option 2, 5.
4. I asked to add my sister's number to my account.
5. In order to keep the numbers the same, she had to create a new account and add all three lines to a new account number as a 'Small business account'

There was an 18$ transfer fee, and the contract on the 3rd line was extended to 11 months. Now, all three phones have the numbers they started with, and all on the 'family plan' which is saving us $45 a month.

FYI, I just called in to do this by following this procedure. I now have 5 lines with area codes from Texas, Mass, and Kansas on my account. No fees at all. Huzzah!

I just did this today. I have 2 phones with a Wisconsin Area Code (414), and I wanted to add my sister to my family plan (she lives in Colorado, and has a 303 area code.)

Steps:
1. My sister Called 1-800-331-0500 (AT&T customer service)
2. She Initiated a Transfer of Billing Responsibility to Me. (To get the lines all under one name)
3. I called National Business Office (AT&T NBO) at 888-444-4410 option 2, 5.
4. I asked to add my sister's number to my account.
5. In order to keep the numbers the same, she had to create a new account and add all three lines to a new account number as a 'Small business account'

There was an 18$ transfer fee, and the contract on the 3rd line was extended to 11 months. Now, all three phones have the numbers they started with, and all on the 'family plan' which is saving us $45 a month.
If you have an existing Family Plan, and are already on a FAN program, you should be able to add lines from different A/C without any fees (still need $18 transfer for existing lines). Is this correct ?

I was trying to add a line in NYC and I already have Hawaii area code at AT&T (It was really with Cingular) and bill goes to Ohio. NYC AT&T told me I can only have another Hawaii area code. A rep on the phone told me I could have Hawaii or Ohio. I wanted to port my NYC number from Verizon. I am really confused as to what I need to do next.

Should I change billing to NYC to port NY phone number? Is this doable or do I have to call the AT&T Business Office? For those of us with home/office in multiple States, AT&T restriction on area code is not that workable.