Mar 9, 2023
What Does "Porting" Mean?
Reading time: 5 minutes
If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve had the same phone number for years. Your entire family has it. Your friends and co-workers have it. It’s in your email signature and quite possibly available on some or all of your social media accounts. You and your existing phone number are basically attached at the hip and changing it just because you’re switching wireless service providers is not an option.
At PureTalk, we get it. And guess what? You can absolutely keep your existing number when you switch providers. The process of moving an existing number to a new carrier is called porting or phone number porting. Here’s all you need to know about how phone number porting work and what to expect.
What is porting and how long does it take?
Generally, phone number porting or moving a cell phone number from one carrier to another takes between 5-7 business days but, sometimes, the phone number porting process can take companies as long as a month.
About the phone number porting process
The porting process depends upon a variety of factors including the speed with which wireless providers port numbers, what country your number is based in, and whether or not all the documents included in the port order are correct. It also depends on how long it takes your wireless company to release your phone number. So if your current carrier is slow, the port-in will take longer. If your phone number port is taking far too long, reach out to your provider. Here are the average times it takes some cell phone providers to transfer a number:
AT&T: 3-5 days
Verizon: 4-24 hrs
T-Mobile: 10 minutes to 24 hrs
If you have questions or require assistance, our friendly, U.S.-based customer service team is here to help! Take it from Karen Hennes who left this 5-star review on Trustpilot:
“I had an actual number to call, was quickly sent to a person, and I did not wait on hold long. Helpful customer representative, satisfied all questions and helped me get my phone numbers ported.”
To help speed the port-in process:
- Alert your current carrier that you will be moving your phone number to a new phone service and see if you have to absorb any early termination fees or pay any outstanding balance. You can’t make your carrier be responsive and speed things along, but a patient and professional approach can certainly help.
- Confirm that all the information your carrier and new provider have is correct and consistent, including your full name, address, zip code, telephone number, and account number. Missing or incorrect information will slow down the process.
- When changing your phone service to a new provider, if your telephone number has features like call forwarding or voicemail, contact your current and new provider to see if deleting call forwarding, etc., will help to speed up the porting process.
Why it still could take time for wireless service providers to port in a number
You’d think that in this day and age porting would be a simple process. But sometimes it just isn’t. Here are several factors things that could be holding up your porting process.
Missing documentation
Ask both your existing and new cell phone provider what documentation they require to transfer your number. These items can include:
- A Letter of Authorization (LOA): this is a standard, industry form that gives your new carrier permission to port in your number.
- Your Customer Service Record (CSR): Your current carrier provides these records to your new carrier in order to confirm your full name, address, and billing address.
- A Copy of a Bill (CoB): This is simply a copy of a bill you have received from your current carrier that proves to your new carrier that you own the phone number in question.
Your current carrier is dragging its feet
No business wants to lose customers and sometimes your current wireless network provider may drag its feet simply because they don’t want to lose you as a customer.
Your number port-in request is rejected
This is why it’s extremely important to make sure all of your information is correct. A misspelled name, incorrect billing phone number or mailing address, incorrect account number, literally any piece of information that is incorrect will cause the port-in request to be rejected. Double check every detail.
How long does it take to switch your current phone number(s) to PureTalk?
PureTalk processes all port requests on the day you activate your service. The time it takes to port is dependent on how quickly your current carrier responds to our port request. Typically, your number is ported within hours but there have been instances where it has taken several days. Consequently, we like to say it takes 1 - 5 days for your number to be ported successfully.
Now that you know how PureTalk works quickly to port your number, here are answers to other questions you might have about switching to PureTalk!
Is PureTalk as low-cost as I’ve heard?
Yes. Take a moment to check out PureTalk’s premium wireless plans that start at just $25 a month AND our risk-free 30 day Money Back Guarantee.
When you switch to PureTalk, we give you 30 days to test us out and see if you’ve made the right decision. We’re certain you’ll love our service and our savings. With plans as low as $25 a month, PureTalk gives you talk, text and blazing fast data. Plus, switching to PureTalk saves the average family of four $75 a month for a total of $900 a year. To say nothing of how much seniors save on our plans!
Tell me about PureTalk’s money back guarantee.
In addition to all the things PureTalk offers – great savings, blazing fast data, and freedom from contracts – we give you 30 days to see if we’re the right fit for you. You have until your next bill date, or until you’ve used 500 minutes or 500 MB of data usage, (whichever comes first), to contact customer service and request a refund. We mean it when we say, “Love our service or your money back.”
Do I have to cancel my old plan before starting a new one with PureTalk?
No, please keep your current service active. We want to make sure you have continuous coverage until your PureTalk activation has been completed.
Additionally, if you are porting your number, your account will be required to remain open to transfer the number over to new provider.
When do I get my bill?
If you are signed up for e-bills, you will receive a reminder notification two days before your AutoPay deduction and a confirmation once it has been completed. Your payment is always due on the same date each month.
Where do I get my bill?
MY ACCOUNT is the place to go for all of your account information. You can sign up for e-bills in MY ACCOUNT. You can also view your invoices by logging into your account as well. Invoices will be located under "Transactions" which is located under the "Billing" tab.
Can I pay my bill online?
You sure can! Log into MY ACCOUNT and click on the Billing tab and Pay Now. Note that making a one-time payment outside of your AutoPay will incur a $5.00 transaction fee. We encourage our customers to enroll in AutoPay where payments are automatically deducted each month on your bill due date.
When does my billing cycle start?
Your first monthly billing cycle begins on the day you activate service. Your billing cycle will start on the same date each month.
If you activate your line on the 15th of February, for example, you will be billed next on the 15th of March and on the 15th of every month thereafter.
How long is my billing cycle?
Your billing cycle is monthly. Payment is always due on the same date each month depending on the date you completed your activation.
Visit MY ACCOUNT for complete amount details or call Customer Support at 1-877-820-7873 or 611 from your PureTalk phone for more billing details.
Why can’t I close my PureTalk account online without having to call?
To protect your security and privacy, all cancellations must take place over the phone.
Does PureTalk offer nationwide coverage?
Absolutely! PureTalk runs on America's most dependable 5G network, which covers 99% of Americans.
If you’re still wondering… "Is PureTalk right for me?” the answer is YES!
If you are looking for a low-cost wireless provider that runs on America's most dependable 5G network, that offers a wide variety of plans that you can mix and match to meet your needs and those of your family, that offers a 100% money back guarantee, then PureTalk is right for you! Visit PureTalk.com to learn more.
Posted 1 year ago