Phone Number Porting to NextPhone: No-Downtime Migration Guide

Your business phone number is everywhere. It's on your trucks, your business cards, your Google Business Profile, and years of marketing materials. You can't just change it. Too much is tied to that number.

Good news: you don't have to.

Phone number porting lets you keep your existing number while moving to a new provider—whether that's an AI receptionist, a new VoIP system, or a different carrier entirely. Your number stays the same. Your customers dial the same digits they always have. The only thing that changes is what happens when they call.

The catch? Porting has paperwork, timelines, and potential pitfalls. Get it wrong and your port gets rejected. Get it right and the transition is seamless.

This guide walks through the entire process: what you need, how long it takes, common mistakes, and how to ensure zero downtime during the switch.

What Is Phone Number Porting?

Phone number porting is the process of transferring ownership of a phone number from one carrier or provider to another.

When you port a number:

• Your number stays exactly the same—no change in digits
• Ownership transfers from old provider to new provider
• You can cancel your old service after the port completes
• Callers experience no change—they dial the same number

Porting is different from call forwarding. With forwarding, you keep your old carrier and simply redirect calls to another number. With porting, you move the number itself to the new provider.

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulates number porting in the United States. Carriers are required to allow customers to port their numbers to other providers—they can't refuse. This applies to landlines, mobile numbers, and VoIP numbers.

Porting vs Call Forwarding: Which Do You Need?

Before diving into porting, make sure it's the right choice for your situation.

When to Port

Port your number if:

• You're making a permanent switch to a new provider
• You want to cancel your current carrier and stop paying them
• You want simplified billing with just one provider
• You're confident in your new service and don't need to test first

When to Use Forwarding Instead

Use call forwarding if:

• You want to test your new AI receptionist before committing
• You're still under contract with your current carrier
• You need the switch to be instant (no waiting for port approval)
• You want the flexibility to reverse the change easily

Many businesses start with forwarding to test their AI receptionist, then port after they're confident in the new system.

What You'll Need to Port Your Number

Porting requires specific information that matches exactly what your current carrier has on file. Mismatches are the #1 reason port requests get rejected.

Required Documents and Information

1. Account Number Found on your phone bill from your current carrier. This is the account number for your phone service, not your payment method.

2. Account PIN or Password The security code for your account. If you don't know it, call your current carrier to reset it before submitting a port request.

3. Service Address The address associated with your phone number. This may be different from your billing address. Use the service address (physical location where the line is installed), not the billing address.

4. Authorized Account Holder Name The name on the account. The port request must be submitted by (or authorized by) this person.

5. Letter of Authorization (LOA) A signed document authorizing the new provider to port your number. Your new provider will supply this form—you just need to sign it.

Pre-Porting Checklist

• Locate your most recent phone bill (last 30-60 days)
• Find your account number on the bill
• Confirm or reset your account PIN
• Verify the service address on file
• Confirm the authorized account holder's name
• Complete and sign the LOA from your new provider

Pro tip: Before submitting your port request, call your current carrier and confirm all details match their records. Ask them to read back the account number, service address, and authorized name. This five-minute call can prevent days of rejection delays.

How to Port Your Number: Step by Step

Follow this process for a smooth port:

Step 1: Gather Your Information

Collect everything from the checklist above. Having accurate information before you start prevents rejections.

Step 2: DO NOT Cancel Your Current Service

This is critical. Your phone number must be active with your current carrier to port. If you cancel first, the number is released and becomes unavailable—you cannot port it.

Keep your old service active until the port completes. Yes, this means potentially paying for a few days of overlap. It's worth it.

Step 3: Submit the Port Request

Complete the port request form with your new provider (NextPhone, for example):

• Enter your phone number
• Provide account number and PIN
• Enter service address exactly as it appears on your bill
• Upload or complete the Letter of Authorization
• Submit the request

Step 4: Wait for Processing

After you submit, your new provider forwards the request to your current carrier. The current carrier verifies the information and either approves or rejects the port.

You'll receive:

• Confirmation that the request was submitted
• Estimated completion date
• Updates if any issues arise

Step 5: Port Completion

When the port completes:

• Your number now routes to your new provider
• Your old carrier may send a notification
• Calls to your business number now go to your new system

Test immediately: call your number from a different phone and confirm your new system (AI receptionist) answers.

Step 6: Cancel Your Old Service

After the port is confirmed and tested, you can cancel your old carrier account. Some carriers automatically close the account when the number ports; others require you to explicitly cancel.

Check with your old carrier to ensure:

• No further bills will be sent
• Any remaining balance is settled
• Equipment (if any) return requirements are clear

How Long Does Porting Take?

Timeline varies based on complexity:

Simple Ports: 1-4 Business Days

Most small business ports fall into this category:

• Single phone number or just a few lines
• Standard business or residential account
• No unusual equipment or configurations

FCC rules require carriers to complete "simple" ports within one business day. In practice, 1-4 days is typical.

Standard Ports: 5-10 Business Days

Slightly more complex situations:

• Multiple lines (5-20)
• Some carrier-specific processing requirements
• Older account configurations

Complex Ports: 2-4 Weeks

Enterprise-level complexity:

• Large number of lines (50+)
• Specialized telecommunications equipment
• Complex business accounts with multiple locations
• Numbers tied to PBX or legacy systems

What Affects Timeline

• Current carrier responsiveness: Some carriers process faster than others
• Accuracy of submitted information: Mistakes cause rejections and restarts
• Type of number: Landline, mobile, and VoIP may have different processing times
• Number of lines: More lines = more complexity

Why Ports Get Rejected (And How to Fix It)

Port rejections are frustrating but usually fixable. Here are the most common reasons:

Rejection: Information Mismatch

What happened: Account number, PIN, or authorized name doesn't match carrier records.

How to fix: Verify the exact information your current carrier has on file. Call them and ask them to confirm each field. Resubmit with corrected information.

Rejection: Wrong Service Address

What happened: You submitted your billing address, but the carrier has a different service address on file.

How to fix: Use the service address (where the phone line is physically installed), not the mailing/billing address. Ask your carrier to confirm the service address.

Rejection: Account Has Outstanding Balance

What happened: You have an unpaid bill with your current carrier. They're blocking the port until you pay.

How to fix: Pay the outstanding balance. Once cleared, resubmit the port request.

Rejection: Port Freeze on Account

What happened: Some carriers place a "freeze" on accounts to prevent unauthorized porting. This blocks all port requests.

How to fix: Call your current carrier and request removal of the port freeze. Then resubmit.

Rejection: Wrong Person Signed LOA

What happened: Someone other than the authorized account holder signed the Letter of Authorization.

How to fix: Have the actual account holder (name on the account) sign the LOA. Resubmit.

Rejection: Duplicate Request

What happened: A port request is already in progress for this number.

How to fix: Wait for the existing request to complete or be rejected before submitting a new one.

After Rejection

Don't panic. Rejections are common and fixable:

1. Review the specific rejection reason
2. Correct the issue
3. Resubmit the request
4. The second attempt usually processes faster

How to Port Without Missing a Single Call

The zero-downtime strategy uses call forwarding as a bridge during the porting process:

The Strategy

Before you submit your port request, set up call forwarding from your current number to your new AI receptionist number. This way, calls reach your new system immediately—even while the port is processing.

Step-by-Step Zero-Downtime Port

Step 1: Get your new number from your AI receptionist platform (NextPhone provides this during signup).

Step 2: Set up call forwarding from your current business number to your new AI receptionist number. Use your carrier's forwarding codes or contact them for setup help.

Step 3: Test the forwarding—call your old number from a different phone and confirm your AI receptionist answers.

Step 4: Submit your port request while forwarding is active. Calls continue flowing: old number — forwarding — AI receptionist.

Step 5: Wait for the port to complete. Throughout this period, calls are still reaching your AI receptionist via forwarding.

Step 6: When the port completes, the number now belongs to your new provider. Forwarding is no longer needed—calls go directly: ported number — AI receptionist.

Result

Zero missed calls. No "we're experiencing technical difficulties" moments. The transition is invisible to callers.

Post-Porting Checklist

After your port completes, verify everything is working:

Immediately After Port

• Test the number—call from a different phone
• Verify your AI receptionist answers
• Check audio quality
• Confirm notifications are working
• Make a test appointment booking (if applicable)

Within 24 Hours

• Cancel your old carrier service (if not auto-cancelled)
• Verify no unexpected charges
• Update any internal documentation noting the port is complete

If You Experience Issues

• Contact your new provider's support
• Confirm the port shows as complete in their system
• Verify all platform configurations are correct
• Check that no call forwarding settings are conflicting

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I port any phone number?

Most numbers can be ported: landlines, mobile numbers, and VoIP numbers. Exceptions include some specialized VoIP services, international numbers, and numbers on restricted carrier plans. If you're unsure, check with your new provider before starting.

Will there be downtime during the port?

With the zero-downtime strategy (call forwarding during the port), no calls are missed. Without forwarding, there may be a brief transition window—typically minutes to an hour—when calls might not route correctly.

What if my current carrier refuses to port?

FCC regulations require carriers to allow porting. If your carrier refuses, remind them of FCC rules. If they persist, you can file a complaint with the FCC. Legitimate refusals only happen for technical impossibilities (number types that truly can't port) or account issues (unpaid balance, port freeze).

Can I port a landline to VoIP or AI receptionist?

Yes. Landline numbers can port to VoIP-based services, including AI receptionists. The process is the same—the number ownership transfers to the new provider.

What happens to my old carrier account after porting?

After the port completes, you should cancel your old account. Some carriers automatically close accounts when numbers port out; others require explicit cancellation. Verify with your carrier to avoid continued billing.

Keep Your Number. Upgrade Your System.

Your business phone number is valuable—it's how customers reach you, and it's embedded in years of marketing. Porting lets you keep that number while moving to better technology.

The process is straightforward:

1. Gather accurate account information
2. Submit port request with new provider
3. Use call forwarding for zero downtime
4. Wait for port completion
5. Cancel old service

Most ports complete within a few days. With proper preparation and the zero-downtime strategy, your customers won't notice any change—except that now someone always answers.

• Ready to port your number? Start your NextPhone setup and we'll guide you through the process —