When you move to a new phone system, customers will continue to call and text your previous business phone number and expect you to be at the other end of the line. Missing these calls can lead to frustrated customers, lost sales, and extra work for your team.
Luckily, VoIP number porting is a seamless process that lets you keep your business line running with zero disruptions. Here’s what you need to know about porting your phone number to a new VoIP provider.
What is VoIP number porting?
VoIP number porting lets you retain your existing phone number by moving from your current phone provider (whether that’s a traditional carrier or a VoIP service provider) to a new VoIP service provider.
How exactly does phone number porting to a VoIP provider work?
The phone number porting process only takes a few steps, no matter what provider you’re switching from or which VoIP service you’re moving to.
Here’s what it takes to port out your number to a new provider:
1. Let your current provider know you want to port out
Giving your current provider a heads-up that you’re porting out can help you avoid delays on either end of the porting process. Your current provider won’t have to do anything right away, but keep in mind that they may charge a porting fee or a termination fee, depending on the terms of your contract. For example, AT&T and Google Fi each charge a $20 fee to port a mobile number to Google Voice.
If you’re using Google Voice’s free plan, you’ll need to pay a $3 fee to unlock your number before porting it to another provider. Alternatively, some providers like OpenPhone don’t charge any fees to port in a number.
2. Complete your A2P 10DLC registration
To text customers with US phone numbers, you’ll need to complete A2P 10DLC registration. This newer registration requirement applies if you use any cloud phone service in order to prevent spam and fraud.
Depending on your provider, you might be able to register to meet this new requirement before starting the porting process. That way, once you’ve ported your number over, you can text straight away and without any issues. For example, OpenPhone lets you complete registration directly from its web or desktop app before you port over a local US or Canadian number.
3. Send the required information to your new provider
To comply with FCC regulations, your new provider will need your phone bill, latest invoice, and account number. Make sure your documentation includes your name, billing address, phone number, and a port-out/transfer PIN (if you have one associated with your account).
You’ll also need to sign a Letter of Authorization. This document verifies you’re the rightful owner of the phone number being ported and you authorize the transfer. This protects you against unauthorized transfers.
Your new VoIP provider may also ask for some additional information:
- If your number is toll-free, local US, or local Canada
- If your account is registered under a business name or a personal name
- The name of your current provider
- If the number you’re porting is mobile, landline, or VoIP
- If you plan to port multiple numbers to your new provider (make sure to communicate this clearly in writing to your provider)
4. Maintain your current phone service until porting is complete
To avoid any service disruptions, wait until your port is complete before closing your current account. This way, you can continue making and receiving calls while your new provider works their magic. Your new carrier will let you know your port date, after which you can cancel your old service. If you cancel your service before the porting process is finished, you risk losing your phone number and experiencing delays.
5. Keep in mind typical timelines for porting
When you switch your number to a VoIP provider, porting timelines can vary depending on how responsive your existing and current providers are. So if both providers are quick to respond to the porting request, the process can go faster. However, the process generally takes five to seven business days for US numbers. With Canadian numbers, it takes a bit longer, about ten to twelve business days.
Remember to ensure you provide accurate information, as any mistakes in the details you give can cause delays.
6. Cancel your old service
Once the porting process is complete and you can successfully make calls and send texts from your new VoIP number, it’s safe to cancel service with your current carrier.
How to port your current number to OpenPhone
Want your switch to a new VoIP provider to be the last one you ever make? OpenPhone is a modern business phone service that can scale with you as your company grows. On top of being able to port in unlimited numbers (US, Canadian, or North American toll-free numbers) with zero porting fees, OpenPhone comes with features like:
- Integrations with email, Slack, Zapier, HubSpot, and more
- SMS & MMS messaging
- Call recording
- Call forwarding
- Call routing
- Three-way calling
Our porting process takes just a few simple steps:
- Sign up for an OpenPhone account and try a free seven-day trial.
- Once you’ve confirmed OpenPhone is a great fit for you and you’ve completed carrier registration (or toll-free verification if you’re porting in a toll-free number), log into the OpenPhone web or desktop app and submit your porting request. You’ll need a copy of a billing statement (or a screenshot of your account with the phone number and email address visible), your current account number, and your port-out/transfer PIN to complete this step. You can get these details directly from your current provider.
- Then we’ll confirm your port date and time so you’ll know when your number is available.
- While waiting for your number to move over, you can customize your phone number settings in your OpenPhone account. This includes setting up after-hours voicemail, auto-replies, and more.
- Once OpenPhone’s porting team lets you know your number is ready to use, you can cancel the service with your original provider.
VoIP number porting: Things to keep in mind
Several factors can affect how long it takes to port your phone number. Here’s what you need to know to avoid or anticipate delays in the porting process.
VoIP number porting requirements
The best way to keep your porting process as efficient as possible is to send your provider all the required documentation as soon as possible. For legal reasons, your provider will request the following documents and information:
- Letter of Authorization (LOA) signed by the owner of the phone number
- A phone bill or latest invoice, which should have the number you’re porting over, your billing address, and name
- Your current provider and account number
- A list of the phone numbers you want to port
- Your porting out personal identification number (PIN) (A porting out/transfer PIN generally is associated with US numbers. If you’re unsure whether you specifically have a porting-out PIN, ask your current carrier.)
The name and phone number listed on your phone bill should match the information on your LOA.
Factors that can delay VoIP number porting
While the VoIP number porting process is usually straightforward, some factors can cause delays. If you’ve triple-checked the documentation you provided and are confident it’s correct, here are a few common reasons porting may take longer than expected:
- Your existing service provider is slow to respond to your new provider
- Your number is no longer in service, inactive, or disconnected
- The new VoIP provider doesn’t have coverage in your geographic area and can’t port your phone number
- You’re moving a landline number to a new provider
- You have account issues with your current provider, like unpaid balances
You’ll also experience delays if:
- Your phone number requires complex porting, which may be the case if it’s attached to multiple lines or has unique features like call forwarding and specialized call groups
- You’re porting a Canadian phone number and haven’t responded to the confirmation text sent by your current carrier within 90 minutes
- Your porting request is rejected due to spelling errors, incorrect information supplied (such as the address or account number not matching what your current carrier has on file), or signatures from unauthorized sources
- You want to send texts to your customers but haven’t completed the A2P 10DLC registration form before starting the porting process (The registration, in some cases, can take weeks to process.)
- You’re porting in a phone number from outside of the US
Port your number to OpenPhone, the ultimate VoIP service
VoIP number porting is a straightforward process that can help you access all the benefits of an internet-based phone. When you switch to OpenPhone, you can do more with your US, Canadian, or toll-free number, including:
- Call and message your clients and team members with free calling and texting to anyone in the US or Canada
- Share phone numbers with team members to help each other field calls and texts
- Get additional VoIP numbers; sign up for as many numbers as your team needs
- Streamline business processes by integrating with email, Slack, Zapier, HubSpot, and more
- Set up an automated phone menu so clients can route their own calls
- Record calls for training, quality assurance, or documentation purposes
- Save time sending texts by using snippets, scheduled texts, and auto-replies
Sign up for your free trial of OpenPhone with a temporary new number to try it out — and when you’re ready, start the VoIP number porting process.
Yes, as long as the VoIP provider supports the area code or region of the phone number you wish to transfer over, you should be able to port your cell phone number.
Porting a VoIP number to a cell phone is sometimes possible. However, if your VoIP phone number uses an area code that doesn’t match your geographic area, your cell phone service provider will ask you to select a new number — for instance, if you have a Canadian phone number but live in the United States and try to port that number to a US cell provider. This usually occurs if your new provider doesn’t have local infrastructure in those areas.
You can typically check your number portability on your new carrier’s website so you know if you can make the switch.
Yes, you can port your phone number to a VoIP provider in the majority of cases. Since VoIP solutions provide service over the internet instead of through local cell towers, they can support the porting of more telephone numbers than the average cell phone or landline carrier, regardless of your location. For example, you can port US, Canadian, and toll-free numbers to OpenPhone.
Most personal and business phone numbers are portable. However, some landlines and international numbers may encounter porting issues due to information mismatches.
Yes, but the porting process can take longer to complete. It requires more resources to overcome the logistical challenges a VoIP provider faces to make sure you can use your number on various devices with an Internet connection.
Porting your number to a VoIP service has many benefits compared to traditional carriers, including:
– Usually costs less, with lower monthly rates and cheaper international calls
– Gives you more flexibility because you can manage your business phone system from anywhere in the world with an internet connection
– Provides automation features like ticket routing and AI-suggested responses so your team can reply faster
