When Customer Support Representative Justin first talked with Jim from Florida, Justin knew saving this phone number was mission critical. According to Justin, “Jim is a normal older man trying to keep the nostalgia of a phone number he’s had for more than 50 years. He’s a crack up as well and was a bit of a breath of fresh air in the ticket queue.” Some of us at NumberBarn could immediately relate, our parents using the same landline-based family phone number for the past several decades.
When we contacted Jim to hear more, we informed him that we always try to protect our customer’s privacy when we get to write a personal family story, “so we don’t include last names and cities.” Jim replied with a “sure, you can use my situation, just change my name to ’Brad Pitt.’ That would keep me anonymous and make your story more interesting.” Haha, thanks Brad!
Jim, a former military officer and financial analyst, has had a well-rounded life. His family phone number has weathered many seasons, including some tough ones. “I took over that phone number from a friend who previously lived in my first apartment. Met and married my beautiful wife and we lived in that apartment for several years until we could afford our first house. Took the phone number with us.” They had “two wonderful kids” but, tragically, his wife succumbed to cancer at 35. At the time, his 7-year-old daughter helped him raise his 4-year-old son, he shares.
In Jim’s words, the “rest of the story is the same as everybody else’s. Sent the kids to college. Had grandchildren. We used that phone number diligently and frequently for holidays, ‘how are you’s,’ advice and money. Way before cell phones, email and texting, so it was invaluable to our family. Both my children threatened me with bodily harm if I ditched ‘their’ phone number. God knows what they’ll do with it after I’m toes up.”
Jim also adds that “Numberbarn has been fantastic to deal with. Everybody I’ve communicated with has been friendly, helpful and understanding.” “I expected the worst after dealing with the city government, city utilities, the IRS (and a few other big names that we won’t mention here.) But Numberbarn has been different, a corporation that’s been a joy to work with and seems to care.”
Jim planned to move his number to Google Voice, but “because many of my doctors and old friends and acquaintances still have that as my contact number, NumberBarn has provided me with everything I actually need for a ‘retired’ number.
NumberBarn makes it very easy to check my call log and even emails me a link if I get a voice message. I can return an important call using my cell phone, so it provides everything I really need. And it’s saving the 50-year-old number for whatever use my kids might have for it. God only knows what for, because I’m sure they don’t.”
Turns out Jim is not alone. Elliot Advocacy shared a similar story of someone who wanted to keep their phone number of 36 years. He also has a few consumer tips for porting your long-term phone number (one of which includes parking with us, so that’s cool).
Are you also looking to save a meaningful number or landline? We know that changing phone numbers often creates new challenges with so many contacts, accounts, etc. tied to old numbers. We can help! Check out NumberBarn’s number parking and call forwarding options.
Thanks Jim for the humor and your story so many of us can identify with!
