When I knew I would be living abroad for a few years, I wondered whether to port my existing number. On the one hand, canceling my service and losing my number was the easy option when I was already stressed about a long-distance move. But did I really want to tell all of my personal and professional contacts about a new number?
As it turned out, porting my number was the better decision, both for my personal and professional lives. And as you’ll soon find out, porting your number is probably the best choice for you as well.
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What is Number Porting?
Number porting is the process of taking an existing number and transferring it to another provider. When you switch to a new phone provider, you can’t automatically take your number with you because, technically, you don’t own it. Instead, your phone service provider is licensed to assign your number, which you can exclusively use until you cancel your service.
Typically, porting your number can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. But it’s always worth the wait. Here are some reasons why you need to port your number when you change providers.
Your Phone Number is Part of Your Business Identity
This is a pivotal moment in the telecom industry with technologies like 5G, cloud computing, IoT, and AI becoming mainstream. This makes the mobile phone more powerful and necessary than it already is.
- People are now used to keeping the same phone number for years, and they expect that other people and businesses to do the same. Phone numbers are no longer something to change as frequently as your address but rather a long-term part of your social and business identity, like an employer identification number (EIN).
- Porting your number is the best way to preserve your business identity. People are more likely to associate your company with a single phone number, especially if you use an 800 vanity number. It takes a long time to build your brand with social media and vanity numbers, so why would you want to start again from zero?
- When you cancel your phone service and don’t port your number, that number becomes available. Theoretically, anyone can be assigned your old number — maybe even a competitor. People who try to reach you at your old number will, at best, hit a dead end or, at worst, be helping your competitor with their own call marketing campaign.
Porting Your Number Can Save You Money
Most people use one of the major wireless service or telecommunications providers, but they’re not the only options available to you. Until recently, choosing a new service provider meant getting a new number, but porting has changed all that. When you’re unsatisfied with your phone service, porting your number means that you can pick a new carrier without the chaos of constantly changing numbers.
Porting Gives You Options
Today, you have many more phone service options because you can always bring your old phone number with you. For instance, more business owners are using Voice over IP (VoIP), which uses internet connections rather than phone cables to make calls. And when phone bills rise, or service quality sinks, people have a real choice to switch to a more affordable carrier.
Porting Your Number Is Easier Than You Think
Not only does porting your number help your business maintain its existing brand identity, but the process is much easier than you might think. The key is to keep your old phone service active until the process is finished. Here’s how to do it:
- When you decide on a new phone service provider, ask them about porting your number. Typically, companies charge for initiating the porting process, but most are willing to waive the fee if it means getting your business. The new provider then contacts your existing service provider, who can’t refuse a request to port your number.
- Once you know that your old number is working with your new service, you can terminate the service with your old phone provider. Note that you’ll still need to pay any termination fees and outstanding balances.
- Most porting requests take only a few hours to complete, but porting to or from a landline can take up to a few days. Be patient, and remember that porting your number still takes less time and effort than updating your contacts and building your brand again.
In Summary
Porting your number is an easy way for you to keep your existing phone number even when you switch service providers. People port their numbers because it allows them to maintain their business’s brand identity while allowing them to look for better phone service options.
Ready to switch to a better vanity number service? Choose an affordable vanity number plan from 800.com and port your number today.
