If your organization is looking to change phone carriers, you will likely be required to port your phone numbers to the new carrier if you are looking to keep the existing numbers.
However, there may be some issues that come up when porting numbers to your new carrier that you should be aware of.
Understanding these issues in advance will help you avoid them while going through this transition process.
Changing carriers can be stressful without any additional challenges that may come up.
Understanding the challenges that can happen and how to resolve them in advance will help make this process as efficient as possible.
Coeo knows how important a reliable phone carrier is to an organization and has helped thousands of customers port numbers to Coeo to improve their phone solutions.
We want you to understand the challenges that can occur when porting numbers so you can avoid or resolve these issues if they exist in your organization.
By the end of this article, you will understand the challenges with number porting and carrier changes and how to resolve them.
The challenges with number porting and changing carriers
If you are porting your phone numbers to a new carrier, there may be problems that arise that you should be aware of. The challenges with number porting and changing carriers include:
Ownership disputes
One of the main issues with porting phone numbers is clarifying ownership rights related to who owns the phone numbers.
For example, if multiple organizations use the same number, it can be challenging to determine who has the authority to request that the number be ported.
Contract obligations
Porting numbers requires you to move your numbers from one carrier to another.
However, there are times when contract obligations and requirements can pose challenges to porting your numbers legally and efficiently.
Some carriers have specific contract terms and requirements that need to be fulfilled before you can port your numbers to a different carrier.
For example, a carrier may require your organization to fulfill specific contract terms, pay early termination fees, or settle outstanding balances before being able to port numbers.
Service gaps
The new providers will often have service gaps when numbers are being ported from the old carrier.
During this temporary service gap, your number is no longer active with the previous carrier and has not been activated by the new carrier resulting in the inability to use the number until the transfer takes place.
This service gap can inconvenience your organization and can result in missed calls. It is important to coordinate with both new and old carriers to identify any service gaps while porting your numbers.
Inputting incorrect information
Because porting numbers is typically done manually, it can lead to human error. Inputting the wrong information can cause delays when porting numbers to your new carrier.
For this reason, it is crucial to ensure that all information provided to your new carrier is accurate to avoid any problems or delays.
Emergency information
If you are changing carriers because of a relocation, it is important to update your emergency information.
The RAY BAUM Act is a law that requires a phone solution to automatically provide the dispatchable location to a 911 dispatcher in order to relay that information to a first responder.
The objective of this Act is to provide automatic dispatchable information for better efficiency and faster emergency deployment.
If you are changing locations, the porting process may not automatically update your information in emergency services databases.
Based on the requirements of the Act, it is important to ensure your location information is updated to avoid being fined for non-compliance with the RAY BAUM Act.
How to avoid or resolve the problems with port forwarding to a new carrier
Now you understand the problems that can happen when porting your existing numbers from your old carrier to a new one. However, it is important you understand how to avoid the problems before they happen.
The first way to avoid these problems is to determine who owns the numbers and has the responsibility to port them before moving forward with the process.
This will eliminate any confusion when it comes to identifying number porting restrictions due to ownership over the number.
Additionally, it is important to review the contract of your current carrier and identify the restrictions and requirements that are set in place for number porting.
This way you will know exactly what to do to avoid being penalized before porting your numbers.
You should also negotiate with both carriers to determine the timeline for number porting so you know if there will be any service gaps when transitioning.
Another way to avoid these challenges is to ensure that all information is correct before sending it to your new carrier.
If the wrong information is given to your new carrier, it may lead to delays since it will take time to correct the incorrect information that was provided.
Due to this, it is important to double-check the information before giving it to the provider to ensure it is all correct.
Finally, your organization must ensure your emergency information is accurate when changing locations to remain compliant with the RAY BAUM Act.
Porting your organization’s phone numbers to a new carrier
Now you understand the number portability challenges related to changing carriers and how to resolve them. This will help you understand the issues that can occur and how to avoid them.
Changing phone carriers can be stressful as it is and experiencing problems as a result of porting numbers to a new carrier will only make matters worse.
No one wants the added stress of experiencing problems on top of moving to a new carrier.
Understanding the challenges of porting your organization’s phone numbers to a new carrier before beginning the process will help you be better prepared and help you avoid the key issues that can arise.
Coeo knows how important reliable phone carriers are to an organization and has ported the numbers of thousands of organizations to improve their phone solutions and service.
We want you to understand the challenges of porting numbers to a new carrier and how to avoid and resolve these issues so you can have a smooth transition to your new carrier.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about number porting or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
Now that you understand the problems of number porting and changing carriers and how to avoid or resolve the problems in the future, read this article below to learn how long it takes to port numbers to Coeo:
