Many companies are actively seeking improved communication services and more reliable providers. In fact, over 25% of businesses have considered switching providers in the past year. However, making the switch can feel risky due to concerns about possible service disruptions or the loss of phone numbers that customers already recognize and trust. Fortunately, number portability offers a reliable and practical solution. It allows companies to retain their existing phone numbers while transitioning to a provider that better suits their needs.
What is phone number porting, and why do it?
Number portability is the process of transferring your existing phone numbers from one service provider to another. This feature provides both continuity and convenience, especially for businesses and individuals who want to maintain their original contact details.
When porting a business phone number, you can keep your original number even as you switch to a new telecommunications carrier or a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provider. This advantage is one of the key reasons why porting is preferred over obtaining a new number. However, several other important factors make number portability a valuable choice.
Keep your original phone number: As mentioned earlier, companies prefer to retain their existing phone numbers to avoid delays and prevent losing customers. Getting new numbers means they would need to update all materials, notify customers of the change, adjust marketing campaigns, and handle many other time-consuming tasks. By porting their original numbers, businesses can seamlessly maintain continuity, preserving customer trust and minimizing disruptions to their daily operations.
Upgrade and gain new capabilities: One significant advantage of number portability is the ability to move your existing numbers to VoIP providers. This shift gives organizations access to an enhanced range of features compared to traditional carriers. VoIP services provide tools such as local termination, SMS messaging, advanced call analytics, IVR systems, a wide selection of virtual numbers, cloud PBX platforms, and much more.
Improved and more reliable service: Businesses can enhance their communications by switching to a more reliable service provider. By leveraging VoIP technology, they gain access to better call quality, greater flexibility and scalability, simplified call routing, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency. Since VoIP operates in the cloud, it’s significantly easier to manage than traditional phone systems.
Cost Savings: Transferring your phone numbers allows you to reduce communication expenses by eliminating the need to purchase new numbers. In addition, maintaining the same phone numbers helps you avoid extra costs related to updating company documentation with new contact details. Importantly, when moving your numbers to a VoIP provider, you can save more than 40% in service costs, as VoIP is typically more affordable than traditional landline providers.
Consolidation from multiple providers: If you want to streamline your communications by bringing multiple providers together or consolidating phone numbers from different countries into a single platform, business phone porting is the ideal solution. By choosing a primary provider, you can transfer all your phone numbers into a single, unified system. This approach simplifies management by allowing you to address any issues with just one point of contact. It also enhances your visibility across the phone number network, while offering greater flexibility to provision additional numbers.
Guide to porting your numbers
Porting phone numbers is generally a straightforward process that requires minimal effort from businesses. By following a few clear steps, existing numbers can be easily transferred to a new provider.
Check eligibility
Before beginning the porting process, companies should choose a service provider that best meets their current and future needs. After selecting the provider, businesses should verify that the numbers are eligible for porting and ensure there are no ongoing contractual obligations or recurring fees with the current provider.
Gather necessary information
Once you have selected your new provider, take a moment to review the necessary porting requirements with them. This usually involves providing your current phone numbers, account number, billing address, and a copy of your latest phone bill. After ensuring you have all the needed information, submit these details to the provider so they can verify your identity and confirm your eligibility for number porting.
Create a porting request
Start by submitting a port request for the relevant number(s). Provide all the required information and finalize the request by signing the Letter of Authorization (LOA), which permits the transfer of your phone numbers.
Initiating porting from the existing provider
The new provider will handle the entire porting process, and requires no action from your part. The only step to consider is reviewing any existing long-term contracts, while the new provider manages the porting on your behalf. Keep in mind that contracts cannot be terminated during the porting process, as doing so will result in port rejection and the loss of your numbers.
Start using your number
Wait for your new provider to complete the number porting process. This can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the provider and the region. Each carrier handles porting differently, so the experience may vary. If everything is set up correctly with the new carrier, you should not experience any service disruptions during the transfer. Once you have confirmed that everything is working correctly with your new provider, you can safely cancel your previous services.
Completing the porting process ensures that your business maintains seamless communications without changing the existing contact information. By following each step carefully and verifying details with both providers, you minimize the risk of errors and delays. Once the transition is confirmed, your company can focus on daily operations with confidence, knowing that your phone number is fully active with the new provider.
Conclusion
Number portability gives businesses the freedom to take control of their communications without losing flexibility and maintaining continuity. By keeping their existing phone numbers, companies can transition to their chosen providers with minimal disruption. Whether upgrading old systems, expanding into new locations, or simply looking for better service, business number porting ensures a smooth and efficient migration. With the right preparations and a trusted provider, your organization can access present-day capabilities, while keeping the number your customers know and rely on.
DIDWW provides cost-free number porting services for businesses, enabling them to transfer their phone numbers while managing the entire process online. Both single and bulk number transfers can be easily performed via the DIDWW online porting tool. Throughout the process, we ensure uninterrupted business operations and provide a dedicated support team to guide businesses every step of the way.