The number one worry about switching phone providers is losing the number your customers already know. Good news: you almost never have to. Moving a number to a new provider is called porting, and it's a routine, well-established process.
What is number porting?
Porting transfers an existing phone number from your current carrier to your new VoIP service. The number stays the same — customers keep dialing it — but the calls now ride over the internet to your new system. You can port business lines, toll-free numbers, and in most cases home numbers.
Switching providers should never cost you the number on your trucks, your business cards, and your Google listing. Porting is how you keep it.
How porting works, step by step
- Confirm the number is portable. Give us the numbers you want to move and we check that each can be ported to your area and service.
- Gather account details. We'll need a recent bill and account info from your current carrier so everything matches — mismatched details are the most common cause of delays.
- Keep your old service active. Don't cancel yet. Canceling before the port finishes can release the number and you could lose it.
- Set up the new system in parallel. We configure and test your VoIP system on temporary numbers or apps so it's ready before the switch.
- Port and go live. On the scheduled date the number moves to the new service. Once it's confirmed working, the old line can be canceled.
How long does it take?
It varies by carrier and number type. Simple single-line ports can move relatively quickly, while business accounts with several numbers, or toll-free numbers, can take longer — often on the order of a week or two. We manage the schedule and keep your existing service running the whole time, so there's no gap in coverage.
Will I have downtime?
Handled properly, no. The key is that your old line stays live until the moment the port completes, and your new system is already built and tested. That's exactly why porting is coordinated rather than rushed — the goal is a clean cutover with zero missed calls.
Common reasons ports get delayed
- Mismatched account info — the name, address, or account number doesn't match the current carrier's records.
- A pending change — an open order or recent change on the account can freeze the number temporarily.
- Canceling too early — releasing the number before the port completes.
We help you avoid all three by prepping the paperwork correctly up front.
Want to know if your specific numbers can move and how long it'll take? Send us your numbers and we'll confirm before you commit to anything.