Porting the number automatically cancels the line.

just get your account number from your CURRENT carrier, bring it to the new carrier, and wam bam, your done....

So I am with AT&T 6 months into a 2 year contract and I try to port my number to Verizon and they will let me? I still have the phone and contract with AT&T so what would be the phone number on the AT&T phone if they really let me port the phone number to Verizon?

It wouldn't have a phone number...but you have to pay the ETF otherwise they will blacklist the phone and you couldn't sell it.

I did this earlier in the year from U.S. Cellular to Verizon.

Had us cellular for 4 years, then ported to verizon in middle of contract, paid 150.00, kept the number, and us cellular was over.

So this is how this is done: If I want to leave AT&T in the middle of the contract I go to another carrier sign up for service and start the process to port my number. AT&T will contact me for the ETF? When I pay the ETF the porting will be allowed and the AT&T phone would not be blacklisted and could be sold and used by someone else?

No, when you port out it counts as canceling your contract. You get a bill in the mail with your final month from ATT and the early term cost.

You pay it then. If you don't pay, your credit will be tanked and the phone will be blacklisted and unsellable.

Having your credit tanked isn't worth saving $175

So are there any negatives on porting out and paying the ETF. They don't report any negatives to your credit as you are breaking a 2 year contract even though you are paying the ETF? And the phone will be saleable and not blacklisted. This seems too simple. So for $375 I could own a new 3GS phone with no negatives? Would AT&T allow me to come back to them or have they blacklisted me?

Dont forget to factor in your 6 months worth of service there... pretty much makes it about 800.00. 39.99 plan + 30.00 data plan... and i am going by your original scenario of 6 months cancelling.