Problem Solved

Problem Solved is a weekly consumer column that fixes reader problems. From broken laptop computers to faulty kitchen appliances, nothing is off limits for this feature. Each story brings a fresh problem and solution in an engaging and succinct Q&A format.

Yes, it's possible to keep your phone number when you switch providers or move. This is how you can go about porting your phone number to a new service.

He wanted to keep his phone number. What happened?

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All William Wilson wanted to do was keep his phone number. He’d had the same number for 36 years, and everyone — friends, family, colleagues — knew it. And, most importantly, he knew his phone number by heart.

But his new phone company didn’t seem to care. So when he switched service, it issued a new number, despite repeated requests. Since then, he’s been trying to get it switched back to his old, familiar number — and to get a refund for the costs he incurred. Why did the company make porting his old number so hard?

Al Tulone's Razer laptop problem is common. He returned the new computer, and then the company lost it -- and kept his $3,252! Can our advocacy team help?

This Razer laptop problem cut deep. Refund, please?

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Al Tulone’s Razer laptop problem is common. He returned the new computer, and then the company lost it. Instead of trying to find Tulone’s device, Razer apparently decided that was his problem — and kept his $3,252.

Caught in the middle of this debacle: PayPal, with its sometimes customer-unfriendly policies. This made this Razer laptop problem practically unsolvable. But then our advocacy team got involved.