Not knowing how long it takes to port your organization’s numbers to Coeo services whether it be UCaaS or SIP can cause you to feel unprepared and not ready for the process when it begins.
If you are looking to transfer your call service to Coeo, knowing how long it takes to port a number is important in planning out the process of implementing whatever service you want whether it be UCaaS or SIP so you know how much time you will have.
Coeo has implemented thousands of call services and has ported many customers’ numbers.
We know how important it is to have an industry-standard call service especially when your organization relies on phone communications.
By the end of this article, you will know what porting a number means, the variables that go into figuring out how long it takes to port numbers to Coeo, as well as what you have to do before porting your numbers.
What does porting a number mean?
Porting a number means transferring your phone number from one service provider to another.
For instance, when you transfer your cell phone from Verizon to AT&T, your number must be ported from one provider to the other.
The same is true for when you want to switch service providers for your organization’s phone service. Only switching phones for your organization is a little more complicated.
Porting a cell phone number for instance, usually only takes 10 minutes to a full 24 hours. This is because it is only a single phone.
On the other hand, porting an organization’s phone service will take longer and is more complicated. Organizations as a whole have a lot more than one phone number so it will take a lot longer to port.
Factors that go into the time it takes to port your numbers
While Coeo does have a minimum of 30 days for a project port, which is a port containing 100 or more numbers, anything less than that can be done in a week or two depending on the exact number of numbers.
Because UCaaS or SIP are case-to-case basis kind of services and is so customizable based on customer wants and needs, it varies from customer to customer on how long it takes to port your numbers.
Number of numbers
The first variable that affects how long it takes to port numbers is the number of numbers you need to port. Of course, the more numbers you need to port, the more time it will take to ready your service.
If you have a bigger organization, then you may have phone numbers within the organization that you didn’t even know you had. Or maybe you have numbers that you currently still have but now no longer need.
An important step you can take would be to take inventory of all your phone numbers and organize them into numbers you no longer need and numbers that you want to keep and port to the new service.
If you want 100 numbers ported as part of your service, it is going to take a lot longer to get them ported and the service up and running than if you were to want only a few numbers to port.
Current contracts
Another thing that would affect the time it takes to port numbers would be the contract you have with the losing provider.
Depending on what your contract says with the provider you have now will determine how long your number porting will take.
If you have a contract, your numbers may not be able to be ported until after the contract expires. Additionally, do not cancel your current service until after your number is ported.
A phone number can not be ported if it is not attached to a service. Only cancel your service after your service is canceled.
What you can do to prepare your organization for number porting
To port your numbers to a different provider, you have to prepare your organization before implementation.
Going over the number of numbers as well as the current contracts you have will allow you to have that information before porting your numbers and beginning the process of implementing a new phone service.
Figuring out your inventory on how many numbers you need to port is important information to have to prepare your organization to port numbers.
Finding out what your current contract looks like and how much time is left is also important in calculating the timeline.
Additionally, your organization needs to identify who the authorized person on the account is and make sure this person is on the LOA(Letter of Authorization).
Without the correct information, it can cause a lot of delays on ports.
You also need to know the PIN needed on the account so your new provider can get into the account and port the numbers.
You also need to find out if all the numbers are being ported on the same account or all different accounts.
These will allow you to inform your service provider, whether it be Coeo or somebody else. Informing them with this specific information will help you in knowing just how long porting those needed numbers is going to take.
Next steps to moving forward with your new phone service
Now you know that porting numbers can take a few weeks for less than 100 numbers and at least 30 days for over 100.
You also know that the number of numbers you have and the contract you have with your current provider helps determine the time that it takes to port numbers.
This will help you in your buying journey so that you know what to prepare for and what information you need to have before purchasing a new phone service.
Knowing the number of numbers you need to port and what your current contract looks like with your provider will help you in the buying process so you aren't unprepared for implementation.
Coeo has sold thousands of phone services and has ported tons of phones from previous services to our service.
We know how important it is to research everything about a service before making a purchase and we want to educate you on everything you need to know before committing to the service.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about porting numbers or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment. 
Now you know the variables that affect the time it takes to port numbers to Coeo. Read this article to learn the implementation process of Coeo's UCaaS:
