Phone number portability was instituted by the FCC in 1993. It granted ownership of a toll free phone number to the company who uses the number, not the telephone service provider. Prior to 1993, companies found themselves tethered to their phone company for years, as switching providers would have caused serious disruptions in their business. Show
Now, thanks to portability, companies can transfer their toll free phone numbers to any carrier they choose without the risk of losing the equity they’ve built over the years with their primary 1-800 number. If you’re looking to transfer toll free numbers, it is a simple process and can be completed without interrupting service. Toll Free Number Transfer RequirementsOnce you’ve chosen your new service provider, it will be necessary to complete a Responsible Organization Change Authorization.Responsible Organizations, also known as RespOrgs, maintain toll free phone number registrations in the United States. The RespOrg system was created in 1993 as part of the toll-free portability program. As a customer, you will have to fill out all of the information on the form regarding your business and current provider. Check and double-check the details to be sure everything is correct, as a single error could lead to a rejection of the toll free number porting. Once you’ve completed the form, send it to your new carrier. Some providers will require extra information, such as a copy of the most recent phone bill associated with your toll free phone number. Be sure you gather all of the necessary forms and documents to ensure a smooth transition porting your toll free numbers. How Long Does It Take to Transfer Toll Free Numbers?It can take as few as three days and as many as 21 days to complete a successful toll free number transfer. It’s important to be patient, but keep in touch with your new provider so that you know the status of your transfer. Do not cancel your service with your current toll free provider until you have received confirmation in writing from your new carrier that the transfer was completed successfully. The NASC Backup Plan For Transferring Toll Free NumbersWhile most toll free number transfers are smooth, some customers find themselves up against roadblocks. Some carriers may refuse to release the telephone number through the RespOrg authorization process. In that case, customers will have to work with the Number Administration Service Center (NASC) in order to transfer their toll free phone number to a new provider. The RespOrg process is free, but the NASC process does involve a fee. That fee will be charged by the NASC to your new carrier, who will pass that fee along to you, the customer. Exact costs will vary depending upon the provider, so it will be important to ask your new carrier what their NASC fees are before you decide to transfer your toll free numbers, just in case your initial authorization is declined. Transfer Your Toll Free Phone NumberWhile it is relatively easy to transfer providers for your toll free phone number, in order to ensure your service is not interrupted and you can continue to own your number, you must conduct a bit of up-front research to choose the best new carrier, understand their possible NASC fees, and you must have your timeline in place for your transfer. Never cancel service with your old provider until you’ve received your confirmation from your new carrier that they now manage your toll free phone number. Can I Transfer My Existing Toll Free Numbers to TollFreeFowarding.com?We can quickly transfer all your existing toll free numbers so you don’t have to miss any calls during the process. Contact us about transferring (or porting) your toll free numbers, and our team will have you up and running in no time. Can I Transfer my TollFreeForwarding.com Phone Numbers to Another Carrier?Once you have paid for your service on that number for 90 days, you can port any toll free numbers to the carrier of your choosing. We are not always notified when numbers are transferred away, so you will need to inform us when the toll free number porting is complete to avoid any further charges. Port your mobile number to a personal Google Voice accountNote: You can't port your mobile number to a Google Voice account managed by your work or school. Important: Not all mobile numbers can be ported into Google Voice.
Before you beginFind your billing account information from your current service provider, such as your account number and PIN for number porting. You need this information to complete your port request. Port your number
Phone numbers can take up to 48 hours to port. Text messages can take up to 3 business days to transfer to your Voice number. If the port gets stuck or delayed and you need help, contact Google Voice Support. Track the porting progressGet calls on your phone after you port the number After your number is ported, it's automatically removed from your carrier, and your plan may be canceled. Google Voice doesn’t offer mobile service plans. You need to contact your carrier to get a new number to keep your plan active or start a new one. To get Google Voice calls on your phone again:
Any of these actions can cause fees or start new contract agreements with another carrier. Check with them first. Keep your original Google Voice number Your Google Voice account comes with an initial phone number. Within 90 days after you port your personal phone number, you can:
After you port your Google Voice number:
Cancel a number port If the port process gets stuck or delayed, you might be able to cancel the process. If you cancel, you get your $20 USD fee back.
If you have any other problems, contact Google Voice Support. Port your Google Voice number out to another carrierTo port your number out of Google Voice, first you need to unlock the number. Then, let your carrier know you want to port a number to their service. Work with them until the porting process is complete. When you unlock your Google Voice number, it costs $3 USD. But if your number was originally ported in from another carrier, there’s no charge.
Tips:
Lock your number again If you decide not to port your Google Voice number, you can lock it again.
You can always unlock your number again for no charge. "Can't relock your number" error If a service provider, like Verizon or AT&T, has already let us know about the port you asked for, you can't relock your phone number. If porting your number isn’t workingIf you have problems porting your number to Google Voice, use this information to help troubleshoot your particular issue. "Couldn't transfer your number" errorIf your number port doesn't go through, you get an email from Google that explains what to do. "Carrier info doesn't match" notificationThe account information you enter when you start your number port needs to be completely accurate. If a number port doesn’t go through, it’s often because of incorrect account information. Your port won’t work with a misspelled name, an incorrect billing address, or an incorrect PIN, for example. You have the chance to enter your information and try again. Here are some things to check:
Information required by service providersVerizon
In some cases, you may:
If you can’t find this information, check a recent billing statement or contact Verizon support. AT&T
If you can’t find this information, check a recent billing statement or contact AT&T support. T-Mobile
If you have trouble finding this information, check a recent billing statement or contact T-Mobile support. Sprint
If you have trouble finding this information, check a recent billing statement or contact Sprint support. U.S. CellularYour US Cellular account number, which is either the account number or customer ID on your bill. If you have trouble finding this information, contact US Cellular support. Other carriersRepublic Wireless, Cricket, Metro PCS, and other carriers require different information to port your number. In most cases you can find that information on your bill. You need the:
Get more helpYou can discuss your questions with Google Voice experts in the Google Voice Community Help Forum. Related topic
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