Porting lets you bring an existing phone number from another carrier into Voice without changing the number. Your callers keep dialing the same number; the calls just start arriving through Voice instead of your old provider.
This article covers what you need before you start, how to submit a port request, the typical timeline, common reasons ports get rejected, and what keeps working while a port is in progress.
What You Need Before Porting
A port can only succeed when the details you submit exactly match what your current carrier has on file. Gather these first:
-
The number(s) to port — entered in standard format (e.g.
+15125551234). You can port a single number or a batch of up to 200 numbers in one request. - Current carrier name — the provider the number is with today (e.g. the company that bills you for it).
- Account number — your account number with the current carrier, exactly as it appears on your bill.
- Account PIN / passcode — the porting PIN or passcode on the account, if your carrier requires one (most wireless and many VoIP carriers do).
- Authorized name — the name of the person or business authorized on the account.
- Service address — the service/billing address on file with the current carrier.
The single most common cause of port delays is a mismatch between these values and the losing carrier's records. Pull a recent bill and copy the details from it.
What an LOA Is
A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is a signed document that authorizes the transfer of your number(s) away from your current carrier. It confirms you have the right to move the number and gives Voice permission to act on your behalf with the losing carrier.
The LOA must match the account details above — name, address, and account number. A signed LOA that doesn't match the carrier's records is a frequent rejection cause.
Submitting a Port Request
- Go to Number Porting in the Voice navigation and start a new port request.
- Enter the number(s) you want to port.
- Choose the port type:
- Full port — you're moving every number on the account and closing it.
- Partial port — you're moving some numbers and keeping the account open for the rest.
- Enter the current carrier name, account number, account PIN (if required), authorized name, and service address.
- Optionally set a requested port date — the date you'd like the number to cut over (subject to carrier confirmation).
- Submit the request.
When you submit, Voice first runs a portability check to confirm the number(s) are eligible to port, then opens the port order with the carrier. If any number comes back as not portable, the request is rejected immediately and the non-portable numbers are listed so you can correct or remove them.
You can view all of your port requests and their current status under Number Porting at any time.
Port Status and the FOC Date
A port request moves through these states:
- Draft — saved but not yet opened with the carrier. You can still edit a draft.
- Submitted — the port order has been opened with the carrier.
- In review — the losing carrier is validating the request against their records.
- Approved — the carrier has accepted the port and confirmed a cutover date.
- Complete — the number is now live on Voice.
- Rejected — the carrier declined the port (see reasons below). Fix the issue and resubmit.
When the losing carrier approves the port, they confirm a Firm Order Commitment (FOC) date — the date and time the number will actually cut over to Voice. Until that moment, your number stays on your old carrier and behaves exactly as it does today.
Typical Timelines
Most ports complete in 5–10 business days. Some factors extend this:
- Larger losing carriers and complex accounts take longer.
- Batches of many numbers take longer than a single number.
- Toll-free ports follow a separate process and can take longer than local numbers.
- Any mismatch that triggers a rejection resets the clock once you resubmit.
A requested port date is a request, not a guarantee — the losing carrier confirms the actual FOC date during review.
Common Rejection Reasons and Fixes
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Name / address mismatch | Make the authorized name and service address match the losing carrier's records exactly. Copy them from a recent bill. |
| Wrong account number | Use the account number exactly as shown on your bill, including any leading zeros or suffixes. |
| Missing or wrong PIN | Get the current porting PIN/passcode from your carrier and resubmit. Some carriers reset this in their portal. |
| Number not portable | The number may be out of the portable area, recently ported, or a non-portable line type. Voice flags non-portable numbers at submission. |
| Pending order on the account | An open change or order at the losing carrier can block a port. Close it first, then resubmit. |
| Account already closed | Don't cancel service with your old carrier before the port completes — a closed account can't be ported from. |
After fixing the issue, submit a new port request with the corrected details.
What Works During Porting
Until the FOC cutover, your number remains fully active on your current carrier — calls and texts continue to arrive there with no change. Voice does not take over inbound traffic for the number until the port completes.
While you wait, you can prepare everything on the Voice side so the number is ready the moment it cuts over: order any additional numbers, set up extensions, build your IVR and call routing, and pre-stage the inbound destination you want the ported number to use. Once the port completes, assign the number to its destination under Numbers (see Phone Numbers).
Cancelling a Port
If you need to back out, open the port request under Number Porting and cancel it. Voice withdraws the port order with the carrier and marks the request cancelled. The number stays on your current carrier.
FAQ
Will my number stop working during the port? No. The number stays live on your current carrier until the confirmed FOC cutover. There is typically no downtime; calls simply begin routing through Voice at cutover.
Can I port more than one number at once? Yes. A single port request can include up to 200 numbers, as long as they're all on the same losing-carrier account with matching details.
Should I cancel my old service first? No. Never cancel service with your current carrier before the port completes. A closed account can't be ported, and cancelling early will fail the port.
My port was rejected — what now? Check the rejection reason, correct the mismatched detail (usually name, address, account number, or PIN), and submit a new port request.