AT&T says they can't port a number

Are they saying that they cannot port the number, or that they cannot give you voice service, or that they won't port a number to their AT&T Voice service?  Is there some reason you particularly want AT&T's voice service when they're going out of their way to make it hard?

Do you have ATT Internet?

If yes, do you have an ATT PHONE (previously known as Uverse VOIP) on your account?

If yes, one line or two?

Residential internet account gateways can support a maximum of (2) ATT PHONE VoIP numbers, but must have ATT internet service to order the phone service as only sold as an add on service, not a stand alone service.

LEGACY DSL new services were stopped October 2020, I suspect this is also when new traditional phone services (POTS) were stopped. 

Otherwise who do you have for your ISP and do they offer a VOIP service? Or consider one the other VOIP providers from Magic Jack, to Ooma to Avon age, etc.

One thing AT&T does not bring up when they are trying to convince you to get the VOIP service is the fact that you have to have high speed internet service and I am not sure if DSL is high speed.  Someone else might be able to verify that.  We have DSL but I would not call it high speed.  High speed internet just adds to the price of phone service.   We have DSL Uverse internet and it loses  communication several times in a day, I would hate to think I would have to depend on it for my phone service.  I think once AT&T finds out that  POTS landline users are not going to stick with their alternatives, they might just decide to invest in updating their underground copper line for the POTS again.  We know very well that back in the day traditional landline service is the service that made AT&T who they are from the beginning.  Of course that was another generation.  If today's generation ever experience the voice quality of the traditional landline, they would prefer it also.  I tell people that the person you are talking to on the phone is as if they were sitting across the table from you.  It just can't be beat by all this updated technologies. 

VOIP doesn't require much in the way of bandwidth.  Pretty much anything better than dialup is sufficient for a VOIP line as long as the jitter isn't too bad.

"I think once AT&T finds out that POTS landline users are not going to stick with their alternatives, they might just decide to invest in updating their underground copper line for the POTS again."

Not going to happen return on investment is just too great. The alternatives are digital service from the company you have your Internet from, VoIP services that use the Ethernet port of your modem to connect to the VoIP provider of your choice, wireless home phone service like AT&T Phone Advanced, Verizon wireless home phone and others and cell phones. You may not like technology, but that's what's driving the direction of industry and where the money is. 

Ok… so to explain… Mom lived in a condo where her VOIP was carried by Bluestream Fiber. A standard analog phone was plugged into her internet router.  She moved in with me, where I have AT&T fiber providing my internet at 1GB speed. My AT&T gateway has an analog phone port. Her condo and my house are in the same area code. I really need to have her number ported to my house for all her doctors and insurance and most importantly, her friends who have known one phone number for decades.

There has to be a reason they can't port it. If you can't get an answer from AT&T than file an FCC complaint. Do not disconnect the service from the old carrier until you're sure it can't be ported or it is ported. Once disconnected it's gone. You said same area code. Same Exchange too? (area code)-exchange-number

@VirginiaIza 

So what will you do about phone service once POTS finishes shutting down? Since you are against current technology are you going to do paper mail, carrier pigeon, or run a can and a string?

In any case your complaint is not really helping the OP resolve their concern. I get you are upset that POTS isn't forever, but instead of jumping in all those other threads to vent perhaps keep the discussion to the thread you opened? That way people who come to the forum can get their issue discussed and you can still vent without confusing others just wanting help.

@dandh313 To save time if the exchanges are not the same give me the area code and both exchanges not the last 4 of the number. That way I can see if they work out of the same switch. 

spoom….. NPA-NXX is 954-971 and she moved from 33321 to 33334. we have no phone service at our house now, but same county.