How To Port An Existing Number To VoIP

The Advantages of Retaining Your Number When Porting

Switching an existing number to a cloud VoIP solution, allows you to take advantage of much cheaper rates. A VoIP connection delivers improved accessibility, better portability, and higher scalability for your business. Many companies switching to a VoIP phone number, wish to retain their existing number. This is where number porting comes in. The following article explores how easy it is to port your existing phone number over to a VoIP phone connection.

What Is Number Porting?

Number porting is the process of taking an existing phone number and transferring it to another communication provider. When investigating how to port your number, it is important to be aware of two main methods. The two method options are number porting and full mobile number porting. Local number porting deals with number porting that relate to fixed lines. Full mobile number porting relates to the process of changing your mobile number to a different service provider, upgrading your existing service, or moving the number to a different location entirely. Number porting is commonly offered by VoIP providers. Many businesses globally may have used the same number for years and therefore wish to retain their memorable communication digits, to avoid their existing customers forgetting their phone number details.

Zadarma Offers Free Phone Number Porting

Zadarma offers number porting to any user who would like to switch their number over to VoIP. This protects the brand, reduces the risk of lost customers and prospective customers, and long term, this saves brands time as well as money. However, there are some limitations involved in switching to VoIP. For instance, some companies will only allow for number porting when a customer pays an additional fee. This fee may be offered as a one-off payment or for a monthly subscription amount. Furthermore, in some instances, number porting can also impose subscriptions towards the service offered. For instance, if a VoIP company offers specific features linked to a new number, these may only be available for companies who set up a new number with a different line.

How Does Number Porting Work?

Number porting works by allowing users to essentially switch the back-ends of their old to their new communication provider. It is particularly important to be mindful that number porting will usually require at least a couple of days ‘waiting’ period while the new provider obtains the user’s phone number from their old service. Therefore, you may want to consider activating the porting process during off-peak or out-of-hours times, just to be on the safe side, avoiding any unforeseen hurdles that could arise during the porting process.

Number porting is generally a permanent means of moving a phone number to another provider, as the old account associated with the number will be closed. Number porting is often compared to number forwarding. In comparison, number forwarding is where the number retains its old account association, but is forwarded to another number or person instead.

How To Port An Existing Phone Number To Zadarma?

With Zadarma there are no hidden costs and no charge if you would like to port a number. Porting a number can be achieved through a series of easy steps.

1. If you are not a registered user already, you will need to register with Zadarma by visiting the registration page and completing the mandatory fields to complete the registration process.
2. You will need to ensure your name and address fields in your "Settings - My profile" under Settings in your personal account, are completed too.
3. You will then need to top up your account balance with the amount sufficient for 12 months of number service or alternatively connect a price plan for instance by selecting “Office” or “Corporation.”
4. Next, you will need to submit a request to the Zadarma support team from your personal account with an attached invoice from your current provider. The invoice will need to include your full name, address and the number that is being ported.
5. Zadarma will then notify you via email and via your account, once the number has been ported. This should take no longer than 48 hours to complete the process.

The Advantages of Retaining Your Number When Porting

Consistent Communication

It is often likely you’ve been using your business number across your communication channels to promote your business. Your customers are familiar with using your number. Number porting provides you with the accessibility and freedom to upgrade and switch to VoIP, or another communication provider, without the hassle of having to inform and confuse existing customers that you have had to change your number. Your phone number appears unchanged and remains the same digits, so it's business as usual from the customer's point of view. Your customer engagement will continue to go on, uninterrupted. This is especially beneficial if you are porting your customer support number. You will avoid confusion and retain communication consistency and sustain your communication cadence.

Retain Unduly Marketing Budget

Number porting an existing number to VoIP means that you keep the same number. If you switch mobile or landline providers you often have to be issued with a new phone number or have to pay out to retain your number. If you are forced to have to change your number, you will have to inform your customers as well as your business suppliers, partners and other regulatory authorities that your primary number has changed. This will also involve changing your marketing and sales collateral or anywhere your old phone number has been displayed including your website, signage, social media advertisement and brochures. The beauty of switching to a VoIP number means that you can continue to utilize all existing sales and marketing channels with your original number displayed which retains unduly the marketing budget needing to be spent on updating your website or advertisement details across your sales and marketing channels.

Simple And Quick Process

Porting a number is a straightforward process that places the responsibility on your chosen provider. The porting process when switching to a VoIP number is straightforward. Other than all the expenses involved in rebranding your communication with the new number, you’ll also spend considerable time informing your business partners, family, and friends. For most businesses from small to large, every working day holds business critical values. You maximize your core hours on money-making tasks and so do not want to waste time sorting out infrastructure and operational issues. When you port your existing number to VoIP, you’re saving time, money and avoiding the unnecessary hassle of having to inform everyone. You make significant savings on those needless expenses.

What Should You Consider When Switching To VoIP?

It is always important to do thorough research before activating a porting process with a new provider. We have identified a couple of key areas to keep in mind when planning your VoIP number migration.

Cancellation Policy With Your Previous Service

Some businesses will make the mistake of cancelling the current service before the porting process has been completed. You should never cancel your previous service until porting has finished. Often your legacy provider will make attempts to convince you to stay with them. Rest assured that they are legally prevented from blocking your porting request. However, you will need to ensure that you settle your account with your old provider as you will be liable for all outstanding balances and any early termination fees.

Check Your Chosen Provider Portability Capability

One of the major advantages of porting to a VoIP provider is VoIP’s portability capability. Cloud VoIP will ensure you can gain connectivity from wherever you are, as long as you have an internet connection. In contrast, if you are not looking at switching to a VoIP provider, then it is important to check whether your selected provider has connectivity and coverage in your area as you may not be able to port the numbers to them if not. Additionally, if your number has gone out of service, you will not be able to port the number. Complications like these can arise and so some users are forced to select new numbers as a result.

Question The Porting Duration

If you select a cloud VoIP provider, like Zadarma, then the number porting process is simple and should take no longer than a few days to switch. Switching should be reasonably easy to accomplish. However, the process will vary subject to the provider you select. It has been known for the switching process to take up to three to four weeks to complete. You usually are able to freely access your numbers as normal during the process. Be sure to ask the question, ‘How long will your porting process take?’ before activating the switch with your chosen new provider. Also, it is important to bear in mind that free-phone or toll-free numbers could take slightly longer and porting requests made over a weekend can also take longer.

Business Integrity And Security

Businesses owners will have a significant objective of maintaining the integrity of their phone service in order to protect them from communication-related fraud and abuse risks. Most providers will follow a strict protocol to ensure the porting process is secure. For this reason, porting requests must be authenticated before the service can be transferred to another vendor. Your current provider cannot deny your porting request although they will persuade you to stay with them. It is important to remember that they cannot retaliate or deny porting requests, regardless of payment status. It is important to be sure your old phone number is still active and not in use by someone else before initiating any porting process too. Most number porting process complications can be avoided. You will just need to provide all necessary information to authenticate your request and then the process should be smooth and simple.

What Are The Requirements For VoIP Number Porting?

This article has explored how to port an existing number to VoIP, along with the advantages and implications of number porting. It is vital you fully investigate potential providers before switching over. When you sign up with a new provider, you will need to provide your new vendor with a list of information so they can begin the phone number porting process. It is important to be prepared and gather this information in good time ahead of the porting date. You will often need to provide the following however this list will vary from vendor to vendor:

• A list of all your phone numbers, including all extensions
• Your address and contact information listed for your existing number
• The full name of the primary account holder
• A copy of your most recent phone bill
• An invoice of your current provider with your current number
• Some vendors will ask for a letter of authorization. This will allow your new vendor to act on your behalf with the old vendor

Summary

Porting your existing number to VoIP is a convenient way to maintain continuity of communication when switching service providers. It is a popular solution for many SMEs globally, as it is cheap, secure and hassle-free.

If you would like to understand how Zadarma can assist with porting your existing number to a Zadarma VoIP powered solution, free of charge, then please reach out to one of our agents today or visit our website for more information.