Reverse to popular belief, transferring your VolP telephone number to a new carrier is non an instantaneous process. In society to properly follow all telecom laws, the entire transfer could take as long equally two to four weeks.

It's much faster to port from legacy carrier to legacy carrier (i.e. same-day transfers), merely if y'all're looking to become into alternative options with more robust telephone features, it could take a niggling longer.

Then how long does it take to port a number? The boilerplate fourth dimension it takes to port an existing number to a VoIP provider is 5-7 business days for U.S. numbers and 7-10 concern days for Canadian numbers. 🗓️ Still, timeframes can vary for upwards to 12 or xiv days if certain atmospheric condition are met.

The answer to "how long does information technology take to port a number?" depends on your existing provider, new provider, your cell telephone, and any documentation that applies to your number. This article volition help you gauge the fourth dimension necessary to port your number to a new provider based on factors that can impact the porting time.

Incorrect or missing documentation

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Missing documentation is ane of the biggest reasons for port delays. The transfer process has several required documents that must be filled prior to the number transfer. Due to FCC mandates, it'due south important to go these documents to your provider ASAP.

Did you receive a confirmation email for your port request? Check to see if your providers take sent whatsoever initial documentation. If not, at that place may be another error holding up the transfer process.

Some common types of wrong or missing documentation include:

  • No LOA (Letter of Dominance) provided
  • LOA provided simply not signed
  • No billing receipt provided
  • Wrong billing receipt provided
  • Incorrect telephone number listed on invoice
  • Invoice information is under another name than LOA

Almost phone carriers provide porting documents on their website or through a number porting portal. If you're not sure where to observe them, or if the instructions are unclear, contact your provider for additional help.

FCC guidelines are extremely strict with number porting laws, and volition not process any changes until subsequently all documents accept been submitted, vetted, and canonical. Accurately completing all documentation will significantly speed up your transfer request.

Delays hearing back from the other carrier

Porting from a traditional cell phone carrier to a VoIP provider tin take longer than the normal 5-vii business mean solar day timeframe. Moving from a VoIP to VoIP is generally faster, and much more than hassle-free (unless your existing provider is slow to respond). If that isn't you, strap in for a few extra days' worth of wait time.

Number portability volition be more than or less difficult according to the carriers y'all use. A delay of three or four days may non necessarily be out of the ordinary, but it's a good idea to continue track of that time to keep your port-in request moving.

Number porting rejections

1 of the nearly common reasons for number porting delays includes form rejections. Some rejections may only set you back past a few hours, while others could take a calendar week or more than. Despite the headache, most rejections can ordinarily be avoided.

Below are some of the most common porting rejections:

  • There is a discrepancy between the data you provide to your existing provider during your port out request and the information they accept on file
  • Your business relationship number is incorrect
  • The customer signature is from an unauthorized source
  • Your Pin is invalid
  • Information was provided from the incorrect source
  • Errors in spelling

In club to reduce your risks for number rejection, y'all can:

  • Reach out to your existing provider to confirm what information they have on file for you lot
  • Contact the new carrier and request a port-in for your existing phone number well in advance
  • Pay all port out fees and follow your electric current provider's requests for port outs (if you e'er modify your heed, OpenPhone doesn't charge yous any money to move your number to another provider)
  • Submit personal information that matches what's on your phone neb
  • Quadruple bank check all required information to make sure it'southward accurate
  • Call your carrier immediately after a rejection to learn more than

Rarely do number porting rejections accept longer than ii weeks to resolve. If you lot are concerned at that place are bigger bug, be sure to contact your new carrier correct away.

Moving landline to wireless

The type of telephone transfer you require can also take a significant touch on the overall timeline of how long it takes to port a number. Landline numbers tin exist ported to a VoIP platform.

However,  if you're thinking of moving a landline number to a traditional cell carrier, the specific logistics depend on the provider in question. Carrier service must be provided in the expanse, and your account must generally be in good continuing before the porting can begin.

The vast bulk of landline accounts accept more than 24 hours to begin processing. In add-on, landline numbers may become disconnected equally the porting process continues, which means you may exist without service for a certain amount of fourth dimension. For this reason, it's important to avoid porting delays if at all possible.

Exist sure to pay off whatever early on termination fees or backlogged payments to speed up the porting process. For boosted peace of mind, call your provider and inquire almost any holds that may exist on your account.

Phone number location

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International numbers crave dissimilar porting processes. When porting your Canadian number to a new provider, it's best to conceptualize longer wait times. The boilerplate range is between 7 to 10 days, although speed is contingent on the factors listed above.

If your electric current carrier or quondam provider is exterior of North America, it may take longer to port in a new mobile number.

Moving could exist a make-or-interruption gene in the number porting process. In fact, some geographic areas won't allow number transfers at all. If your new carrier does not have admission to a certain location, or if y'all are moving to a very rural area, you may run into some problems. Some wireline service providers volition need to apply for waivers, taking upwardly to a calendar month to procedure your number port request. If you are concerned almost your portability in a new area, information technology's a practiced idea to get in touch with state public utilities.

Some businesses, including OpenPhone, allow you to port a U.South., Canadian, or N American toll-free number to your business relationship regardless of your current location. This provides flexibility and speed throughout the porting procedure, decreasing any unwanted downtime.

Complex number porting

Non all phone numbers are created equal. When the time comes to modify your provider from one location to the next, you may exist surprised to see the distinction between 'simple' ports and 'complex' ports.

  1. If your phone number only receives and sends bones calls and text letters, information technology volition likely be classified equally a uncomplicated port. Unproblematic ports are by and large classified equally only offering basic services, although your old carrier is the i to determine this.
  2. If your phone number is attached to multiple lines, has special services, or is embedded with unique features, it's probably a complex number. Nigh business phone numbers fall into this category.

Complex numbers include a broad variety of service types and telephone additions. There'south really no set grouping of items since it ordinarily depends on the carrier. For the U.Due south. and Canada, there are a few mutual factors that make the distinction:

  • Phone call forwarding
  • Specialized phone call groups
  • Unique voicemail services

There is no fashion to avert the lengthier fourth dimension frames associated with complex numbers. Your best bet is to contact your provider well in advance and avert whatsoever other pitfalls that could slow its processing.

Try out your new provider before porting over

Wouldn't information technology be great if you could try out your new provider before porting over? You can with OpenPhone. Sign upward for a free seven-day trial with a temporary phone number.

Once you've tested out our platform you can port over your number for gratuitous. All you lot need to do is fill out this one-minute form.

We only need two key pieces of information to authorize your number porting:

  1. ​The well-nigh contempo phone bill on record from your previous carrier
  2. An online say-so course that can be about signed

Once nosotros've processed your documentation, we can start the porting process in four like shooting fish in a barrel steps:

  1. We send your current provider a port request and a negotiable start date
  2. You lot get an email letting you know the date and time of the port
  3. Your number volition become available in your OpenPhone account on the negotiated date
  4. Once the number is safely ported, you lot can cancel the number through your previous carrier

You might be wondering: How long does information technology have to port a number to OpenPhone? The average time is one to two weeks, although this may be delayed according to discrepancies, location, format, and more.

Afterward your phone number has been ported to OpenPhone, you can upload your existing contacts as a CSV and fully customize your phone number settings. You tin fifty-fifty share your number with your squad to brand collaborating on communications like shooting fish in a barrel as pie. 🥧 Outset your free seven-mean solar day trial of OpenPhone today.