Porting In

What is porting?

Porting is the transfer of a phone number between two telephone service providers on behalf of an end user. The process involves providing documentation to prove ownership of the number as well as coordination between the two providers about the number’s porting date.

How long does it take to port in a number?

You can port your local US or Canada telephone number by making a request on the Plivo console. The process, which requires coordination between your service provider and our upstream provider to transfer the number to Plivo, can take up to four weeks depending on the type of number you are porting and your current service provider. 

We offer porting across the US, Canada, and Australia, but self-service port-in via the console is available only in the US and Canada. . For Australia, submit a port-in request via a support ticket.

How do I port a phone number to Plivo?

To initiate a port-in request, you must have a Plivo Standard account.

When you submit a port-in request to Plivo, we’ll port both voice and SMS capabilities by default. If you want to keep voice capabilities with your existing provider and use Plivo only for SMS, use our hosted messaging feature instead.

Gather the information you need

You need to provide certain information and documents with your port-in request.

• The authorized user or owner’s first and last names or the business name.
• The corresponding service address. This must be an actual physical address; post office boxes are not valid addresses.
• A Letter of Authorization (LOA) signed by the authorized user and/or owner of the number(s). The information on the LOA must match the authorized user name and service address provided by your current carrier.
• A scanned or electronic copy of your most recent phone bill, within the last 30 days. It must include the account, owner or authorized user name, and address information for all the numbers you’d like to port.
• Account number and port PIN (if applicable) from the current provider.

Be sure the information you provide is accurate; if it’s not, your request will get rejected.

Submit your port request

Log in to the Plivo console and go to Phone Numbers > Port-In > New Port-In Order. Fill in your business details on the User Details screen, then click Continue.

On the Port-In Details screen, enter your preferred port-in date and the numbers you want to port in. Enter the current carrier’s account number and, if you have one, the port PIN for the number. Click Continue.

The final screen asks you to upload the supporting documents for each number request. When you’re finished, click Submit.

Until you hear that the porting process is complete, don’t close your account with your old carrier, in order to keep your numbers active.

Configure your numbers

Next, configure your ported numbers in advance on the Plivo console so that when the port-in is complete, your numbers are set up for voice and SMS.

To configure your port-in numbers, go to Phone Numbers > Port-In > Configure Number.

On the Numbers Configure screen:

• Select the capabilities for the numbers (Voice / Voice+SMS).
• Enter an alias / friendly name for the numbers.
• Optionally, select a subaccount for the numbers, to ease number management.
• Optionally, enter a caller ID name (CNAM) to help brand your calls.
• Select the XML or PHLO application to associate the numbers with.

What happens after I make a port-in request?

When you first submit a port-in request, the status of your request is “In Review.” (You can check the status of your request on the Port-In Order Details page.) If everything in your port-in request was done correctly, you can expect Plivo to approve the request within 24 hours. 

Plivo will then submit the request to our downstream carrier partner and change the number port status to “Submitted to Carrier.” Our downstream carrier will submit your request to the losing carrier. Within about a week they should return a response from the losing carrier.

Your port-in request may be canceled or rejected for a variety of reasons, such as an incorrect PIN for an account, an address or ZIP code that doesn’t match the current carrier’s record, or a port request made by an unauthorized user on the account. If your request is canceled or rejected, contact Plivo support for assistance. 

If the request is approved, we’ll receive a Firm Order Commitment (FOC) date that states when your number will be available at Plivo, and will send you an email telling you when your number will be transferred to Plivo. On the FOC date, we’ll add the number to your account at midnight to avoid any downtime of voice services. Once we receive a confirmation from the carrier that the port-in is complete, Plivo will test your number to ensure the capabilities you asked for (voice and/or SMS) are working as expected. Plivo will send you an email once the port is complete so you can begin using the phone number.

How can I check my order status?

During the port-in process, you can track the status of your order by navigating to Phone Numbers > Port-In and checking the order status:

• Draft: You have started but not submitted the port-in order.
• In review: All the numbers attached to the port order are being reviewed by Plivo.
• Canceled: Either you or the carrier has canceled the port-in request. If you didn’t initiate the cancellation, contact Plivo support for assistance. 
• In progress: One or more numbers has been submitted to the carrier and is pending port-in completion. 
• Completed: At least one of the numbers attached to the port order was successfully ported in. One or more other numbers may have been canceled or rejected.
• Rejected: All the numbers attached to the port order were rejected. Please contact Plivo support for assistance. 

How can I check my number port-in status?

During the port-in process, you can track the status of your phone number by navigating to Phone Numbers > Port-In and clicking on your port order name.

Number status values

• In review: Plivo is reviewing the number to verify whether it can be ported.
• Submitted to carrier: The number was submitted to end operators for porting and we’re waiting for acceptance and an FOC date from the carriers.
• Accepted: The number was accepted for porting by the end operator and an FOC date was assigned.
• Ported in, SMS inactive due to failures: The number is ported in but SMS capabilities are not enabled yet. Plivo is working on enabling SMS with end operators.
• Ported in, voice inactive due to failures: The number has been ported in but voice capabilities are not enabled yet. Plivo is working on enabling voice with end operators.
• Ported in, SMS and voice inactive due to failures: The number is ported in but neither SMS nor voice capabilities are enabled yet. Plivo is working on enabling them with end operators.
• Rejected: The number porting request was rejected. Please contact Plivo support for assistance.
• Canceled: The number porting request was canceled by the end user or end operator. Please contact Plivo support for assistance.
• Completed: The number porting request was successfully completed.

A number is not added to your Active Numbers list until number porting is completed. The number  can only be tracked by navigating to Phone Numbers > Port-In and clicking on your port order name.

What is the FOC date and why is it important?

The FOC date is the date on which the losing carrier will release a phone number to the gaining carrier.

The issuance of an FOC signals the confirmation that your port-in request has been accepted. Plivo tests the numbers for SMS and voice capabilities on the FOC date. Once successfully tested, the numbers are added to your Active Numbers.

If you want to cancel a port-in order after an FOC has been issued, you must do so at least 72 hours before the date. 

FOCs do not guarantee a specific time other than before the end of business on that date.

When porting a number, when should I cancel service with my current carrier?

Your phone number must remain active on the current carrier until the port request has been completed.

Once you’ve received confirmation that your port request has been completed, contact your previous carrier to ensure that the phone number has been taken out of your account to prevent further charges

Can I submit a bulk port-in request?

You can submit bulk port-in requests for US and Canada numbers via the Plivo console. To do so, paste a list of up to 20 local landline and/or toll-free numbers in the Phone Numbers field.

Port-in may take two to four weeks to complete.

Why was my port-in request rejected?

Although most numbers are portable, there are several common reasons why a port request may be rejected by the losing carrier. In nearly all cases, these rejections can be remedied by the rightful user of the phone number, and the port request will be able to proceed.

The best way to prevent your port request from being rejected is to make sure you submit the exact information that your current carrier has on file. It’s a good idea to contact your current carrier in advance to verify this information. The surest way to reduce the likelihood of a port rejection is to obtain a CSR from your current carrier and use the information it contains.

Plivo needs two documents to port in US or Canada phone numbers. Please ensure that all documentation has the same name and address listed. Discrepancies may cause delays or result in your application being rejected by the previous carrier.

• A letter of authorization (LOA) signed by the authorized user and/or owner of the phone number. The information in your LOA must match the authorized username and service address provided by your current carrier. Based on service availability or coverage for a phone number, we may request a PIN or the account number associated with the phone numbers. If you know your PIN and account number, please include those details in your LOA. Here are Microsoft Word documents you can use as templates for an LOA.
  
  
  • LOA template for toll-free phone numbers
  • LOA template for local phone numbers
    
    
• A recent invoice from the previous service provider that proves the ownership of the number, or the customer service record (CSR) for the phone number. The invoice must contain your account name, authorized username, and billing details for the phone number you wish to port. For VoIP numbers, including those from services like Google Voice and Skype, you may not be able to obtain a CSR or invoice as proof of ownership. In that case, provide a screenshot of the account page with your name and the phone numbers you wish to port in along with your LOA. 
  
  In addition, please share the email address associated with the Plivo account to which you would like the phone number to be ported. If this is a wireless port, also include the wireless account PIN/passcode.

If you wish to port an international number, reach out to our support team for the LOA you must complete.  

Toll-free phone number porting requests must be made by the toll-free phone number subscriber. Follow the procedures for porting in any number, and use the letter of authorization (LOA) template for toll-free phone numbers linked to from that page.

1. How much does it cost to port a number?

Plivo ports in numbers in the US and Canada free of charge for customers with Standard accounts. There's a one-time charge for porting numbers in countries outside the US and Canada. For pricing for porting numbers outside the US and Canada, please submit a support ticket.

2. Can I port a number on a specific date? Can Plivo expedite a porting request?

You may specify a port date for your numbers. The date of your request has to be on or after the Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) date that was sent by your current carrier. The FOC date is when the porting will be complete. Also, please note that porting occurs only during business hours and is subject to availability. If you require porting outside of business hours, additional fees will apply. 

Porting requests involve multiple carriers, and we cannot guarantee an exact timeline, so we can't expedite a porting request. However, you can request your current carrier release your phone number immediately, which may indirectly expedite your porting process.

3. How can I cancel a request to port numbers to Plivo?

Submit a support ticket that includes your Plivo account email address and the phone numbers for which you would like to cancel porting. There are charges for canceling a port request, and there may be charges for changing the port date under certain circumstances. 

4. What is a RespOrg (Responsible Organization)?

A RespOrg (responsible organization) is an authorized company that maintains registrations for individual toll-free phone numbers from the Somos database (formerly known as SMS/800). Somos is the only company designated by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to administer and manage the registry for all toll-free phone numbers within the United States. Plivo is an authorized RespOrg.  

5. What is a BTN (billing telephone number)? What is it used for?

A billing telephone number (BTN) is the master telephone number that's used to identify an account with a carrier. Any number attached to the same account can be associated by using the BTN.

Depending on what type of account you have, you could have one or multiple BTNs. When porting numbers to Plivo, ask your current phone provider what the BTNs are for the numbers you wish to port.

6. How long do I have to wait until I can start using voice and SMS with newly ported phone numbers?

Once your phone numbers have been successfully ported to Plivo, you can start using our services immediately. 

7. Can VoIP numbers (Google Voice, Skype, etc.) be ported into Plivo?

Yes, VoIP numbers including Google Voice and Skype can be ported into Plivo. 

8. Can I switch my legacy PBX system’s toll-free phone numbers to the cloud? 

We support porting both legacy and cloud-based toll-free phone numbers from any provider in North America (including the United States and Canada) to Plivo. Plivo’s cloud platform supports all popular SIP-based softphones and hardware phones including those made by Bria, Cisco, and Polycom. Configurations and settings depend on the make and model of your legacy system.

9. Will I experience downtime when porting a toll-free phone number to Plivo?

Under normal circumstances, customers porting toll-free phone numbers should not experience any downtime during the porting process. When the toll-free phone number is released by your carrier to Plivo, it's standard practice for your carrier to continue service for the ported phone number until Plivo finishes the porting process and all rerouting is complete.  

Porting is the process of transferring a phone number from one telephone service provider to another. 

Number porting lets you retain the same number while switching service providers. You won't experience service disruptions, and companies can retain their contacts from existing numbers. Phone number porting must be requested by the owner of the phone number.

Porting 100 phone numbers or fewer is a normal porting request. Porting more than 100 numbers is considered a project porting request. Project porting requests require that the numbers to be ported belong to the same account of the same carrier.  

We offer number portability for most of the carriers in Australia, Canada, and the United States. You can also port VoIP numbers, including Google Voice and Skype numbers, into Plivo.

Number porting is supported only within the boundaries of each country. For example, you cannot port a number originally serviced by a service provider from the United States to one in the United Kingdom.

To initiate a port-in request, you must have a Plivo Standard account. Follow these steps to complete a port-in request. 

Step 1: Gather the supporting documents you need and create a support ticket with Plivo.

Step 2: Plivo will submit your porting request to the new and old carriers.

Plivo checks the requested phone number for porting eligibility and submits the request to the new carrier. Once the porting request is verified by the new carrier, the request is submitted to the partner carrier (the one from which you are porting a number), which will validate the request for legitimacy. This process typically takes from five to seven business days. At this time, the porting request will be pending with the current carrier; no action is required until the carrier releases the number.

Step 3: The carrier will respond.

In a few days, we'll get an update on whether the port request is rejected or approved.

If the request is rejected, Plivo will reach out to you to resubmit the porting request and reinitiate the porting process with correct details as per the explanation of your initial rejection. This process can take 10 to 15 days. The best way to prevent your port request from being rejected is to make sure you submit the exact information that your current carrier has on file. Contact your current carrier to verify this information.

You can also get the details from your Customer Service Record. A CSR is a document that contains the service address of the phone number that you would like to port, and serves as proof of phone number ownership for all phone number porting requests. 

Learn more about the possible reasons why a porting request may be rejected.

If the request is approved, Plivo will receive a Firm Order Commitment (FOC) that tells you when your number will be in service with the new carrier.

Step 4: Plivo will reach out to you with the FOC and porting date.

Plivo will send you an email alerting you to your port date. We'll add the numbers you wish to port to your account at midnight on the date specified in the FOC. At this point, we recommend you have your application set up and ready for your number to avoid any service interruption or downtime for the newly ported number. Plivo will send out a confirmation once the port is complete so you can begin using the phone number. 

Your former carrier will release the number to Plivo and maintain service for three to seven business days. During this transition period your calls will still be handled by the previous carrier. This transition period is used to set up the number with Plivo routing. Previous routing and translation will be dropped within 24 hours after you've assigned the correct Plivo application to the number and confirmed the change on the porting ticket.

If you'd like to cancel a request to port a number to Plivo, open a support ticket. Include your Plivo account, email address, and the phone numbers for which you'd like to cancel porting. 

There may be charges for canceling a port or to change the confirmed port date:

1. If you cancel the port or change the port date more than 48 hours before the confirmed port date, you will be charged $13 per number.
2. If you cancel the port or change the port date within 24 to 48 hours before the confirmed port date, you will be charged $98 per number.
3. If you cancel the port or change the port date within 24 hours before the confirmed port date, you will be charged $520 per number.

Charges are subject to change by the carrier.

Here's a list of common reasons why a porting request may be rejected. 

Unsatisfactory business relationship

This typically means that either you have an unpaid balance or the current carrier charges a port-away fee. To resolve this rejection you must pay the outstanding balance or fee to your current carrier. Once this is resolved, please contact Plivo support and we’ll resubmit the port request.

Data mismatch / name mismatch / address mismatch 

The information you submitted on your LOA is different from what’s on file with your current carrier in their CSR. The information on the LOA — particularly the authorized user, service address, and ZIP code — should exactly match the information on the CSR.  

To resolve this rejection: 

• If the LOA was incorrect, contact Plivo support to share the new LOA.
• If the information on the CSR from your current carrier is incorrect, contact the carrier to get it corrected. Once the carrier confirms that the correction on their end is complete, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request.

Number is inactive

Your numbers must be in service with the losing carrier. To resolve this rejection, contact the losing carrier and reinstate the number. Once the number is reactivated, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request.

Unauthorized contact or signature

This means that the person authorized to make changes on the account is not the person who signed the LOA. To resolve this rejection, contact the carrier to update the person authorized to make changes on the account. Once they update your information, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request. 

Wrong wireless account PIN

You must submit a PIN to port wireless numbers. This issue applies when the PIN provided for a wireless phone number doesn‘t match the one on file with your current carrier. Contact the carrier to obtain the PIN they have on file. Once you have the correct PIN number, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request.

Incorrect or missing account number

Contact your losing carrier to obtain the account number they have on file. Once you have this information, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request.

Invalid billing telephone number

The billing telephone number is typically a master number used to identify an account with many phone numbers. To resolve this rejection, contact the losing carrier to obtain the billing telephone number they have on file. Once you have this information, contact Plivo support to resubmit the port request.

Number is unportable

Plivo supports porting only in the US and Canada. There’s nothing you can do to resolve this rejection, but there are alternatives: You can rent a new Plivo number and/or forward calls from your current number to a Plivo number.

Resold account

The account is managed by a reseller rather than a carrier. To resolve this rejection, contact your reseller and request a CSR along with detailed directions on how to port the number away.

Pending service request

A request may be rejected if another service request is pending with the current carrier. You can request that your current carrier suspend all conflicting service requests so that the new porting request can be processed.

Incorrect service account number

A porting request may be rejected when the account number you submit doesn't match the one on file with your carrier. Contact your carrier to obtain the account number they have on file and resubmit the porting request.

Invalid billing telephone number (BTN)

When the billing telephone number (BTN), a master number used to identify an account, doesn't match the one on file with your current carrier, you may face a delay in porting your number. Ask your current carrier for the BTN on your account.