Porting your business numbers without losing a call

Your main number is an asset — it is on your storefront, your invoices, and your Google Business Profile. Porting it is routine, but only when the paperwork matches the losing carrier's records exactly.

What you need before submitting

• A recent bill (under 30 days) from the current carrier, all pages.
• Billing name and service address exactly as the carrier has them on file.
• Account number and any porting PIN.
• A full list of numbers, flagging the billing telephone number (BTN).
• A signed Letter of Authorization from an authorized account contact.

Realistic timelines

• Local business numbers: 7–15 business days
• Toll-free numbers: 2–4 weeks
• PRI or complex multi-line accounts: 3–6 weeks

Avoiding the four common rejections

1. Name mismatch — use the legal billing entity, not the trade name on your sign.
2. Address mismatch — include suite numbers exactly as billed.
3. Pending order — cancel or complete any open carrier order first.
4. Partial port confusion — if the BTN stays behind, say so explicitly.

Cutover day

Ports usually complete mid-morning. Have someone place test calls to every published number from an outside mobile phone, verify caller ID name and number on outbound calls, confirm E911 address registration, and re-test the auto attendant and after-hours routing.

After the port

Wait for billing confirmation before cancelling old service, then update your Google Business Profile, invoices, email signatures, and any listings or ad campaigns that still show a temporary number.