Understanding Number Porting

Number portability is required to be performed by local exchange carriers (LECs) and Interconnected VoIP providers in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). However, within the structure of the FCC requirements, carriers may have individualized systems and processes for handling porting activity. Thus, while carriers’ LNP operations are largely similar and intended to accomplish the same end results, there are unique differences in processes and procedures from one to the next. Some of these unique differences are what can make or break an easy LNP process. At the outset, here are some basic rules of thumb to follow that work for the vast majority of all port requests: 

Port Submission Request Form

Do not disconnect services with current carrier
The authorized End User (EU) of a number should never disconnect services with their current carrier prior to submitting a port request. Disconnected or inactive numbers cannot be ported. In fact, in order for porting to occur most smoothly, EUs generally should not inform their current provider that they intend to transfer their service to a new carrier. The EU may, however, contact their carrier to attempt to obtain documentation of their account or the Customer Service Record (CSR), which is described more fully below. The end user will also want to make sure there are no freezes that would prevent porting activity on the current account, and be sure to have any applicable PINs, passwords, and account numbers ready for use when making a request to port numbers to a new carrier. 

Do provide accurate porting information
Address information for VoIP LNP requests should be provided as the service address, not a billing address. Often the billing address is not representative of where the number that is being ported is actually in service, and it is the service location that matters most for LNP processes. Additionally, the authorized EU should be sure that any and all additional information pertaining to their account (e.g. full port/partial port, passcodes, account numbers, etc.) is provided and is accurate.