How Do You Port a Business Phone Number to a New Provider?
Moving your numbers to a new provider without losing them. What the carrier needs and how long it takes.
Porting moves your existing phone numbers from the old carrier to the new phone system. You submit a port request with an authorization letter and a recent bill, the carriers exchange the number on a scheduled date, and the old service is canceled only after the port completes. Most business ports take one to four weeks; the most common delays are paperwork mismatches.
What the new provider needs
- A letter of authorization (LOA) signed by an authorized person at your company.
- A recent bill from the current carrier showing the numbers and the exact account name and service address.
- The account number and any PIN or passcode on the current account.
- The list of numbers to port, including fax and toll-free numbers.
Why ports get rejected
The business name, address or account number on the LOA does not exactly match the carrier's records. A number is on a different account than expected. The account has a freeze or an unpaid balance. Toll-free numbers follow a separate process. Fixing these takes days each time, so get the bill and match it precisely.
The rule people break
Do not cancel the old service first. Canceling releases the numbers, and you may not get them back. The port itself cancels the number on the old carrier; cancel any remaining services afterward.
How long it takes
Simple ports of a few numbers can complete in a week or two. Larger blocks, multiple carriers or toll-free numbers can take four weeks or more. Schedule the port date for a low-traffic time and keep both systems running until it completes.
Around the port
- Build and test the new system fully before the port date.
- Temporarily forward the old numbers to the new system if you need to go live before porting completes.
- Update E911 addresses on the new system.
- Check fax lines, alarm panels and elevator phones that may be on the same account.
Porting is usually part of a phone system replacement (signs it is time to replace your phone system) or an office move (what to plan for IT when moving offices). Platform choice is covered in RingCentral vs Microsoft Teams Phone.
Mentis Group manages porting end to end as part of every VoIP deployment, and coordinates it with the rest of your move or migration through IT Project Services.
Have a question about your own environment? Schedule a consultation with Mentis Group or call (866) 901-7808.