What do you do when you want to disconnect telephone service, but reserve your telephone number for future use? You park the number in NumberGarage. A collaboration of Freedom Communications USA and My Media Moxie, NumberGarage of Dickson, TN is a deceptively simple service that allows consumers to effectively take ownership of their telephone number.
Leveraging VoIP capabilities, NumberGarage lets you either “park” or “forward” your telephone number. The Park service allows you to retain a telephone number without having telephone service. A parked number in NumberGarage cannot be used to make or receive phone calls. When you are ready to use the number again, however, you can port the parked number to a new traditional phone service or cell service.
The Forward service sends an incoming call on your parked number to the cell or land line number of your choice.
As phone numbers become an identifier for individuals, NumberGarage gives consumers a measure of control over and retention of them. The only drawback we see is the pricing -- $4.95/month for parked numbers, $9.95/month for forwarded numbers. The company explains that pricing is experimental at this point and will adjust according to consumer demand, as necessary. The service is in beta now.
