If you’re moving your number to CloudTalk for the first time, don’t worry—we’ll guide you through it. This article includes all the key steps you should take to make sure your porting request goes smoothly.
Before You Start: What to Do First
Before initiating a porting request with CloudTalk, highly recommend getting in touch with your current service provider or solution provider to let them know that you plan to port out your number. This step helps avoid unnecessary rejections and delays. Your provider can confirm:
Whether your number is portable.
Who the underlying carrier is.
What registration details they have on file for your number.
Letter of Authorization
CloudTalk will provide you with a standard porting form called a Letter of Authorization (LOA). This form must be filled and signed by you and returned to CloudTalk's porting team.
The LOA authorizes CloudTalk and our underlying carrier to contact the current operator and request they release your numbers to us.
The LOA is the main document the losing carrier will use to validate the legitimacy of the request. Therefore all information on the LOA must match the data registered with the underlying carrier of your service provider.
If the information is incorrect or incomplete, the losing carrier may refuse the port, and we’ll need to re-initiate the process, which can cause delays.
What Should You Verify With Your Current Provider?
To make sure your porting request is accepted smoothly, verify the following details with your current provider:
Number portability
Check whether the number is eligible for porting. Even if CloudTalk supports the number type and country, your current provider or underlying carrier might not allow porting it out.
Underlying Carrier or Range Holder
Identify who the true operator of the number is. This is the underlying carrier, which may be different from your commercial service provider.
CloudTalk must submit the port request to the underlying carrier, not just the provider that issued the number to you.
If you're using a VoIP platform, your SP is often a reseller relying on a third-party carrier.
Service address
Confirm the service address associated with the number on file with the underlying carrier. This might differ from your billing address or company headquarters.
Authorized user
Some losing carriers only accept LOAs signed by the exact authorized user or account administrator linked to the number.
A specific user’s name may need to be signed on the LOA.
Account number.
Your provider may have assigned you a unique account number, which may also need to appear on the LOA.
PIN code or Migration code.
Some providers require a code for verification, including:
USA wireless numbers: Need a 4-digit PIN
UK mobile numbers: need a PAC code.
French mobile numbers: require an RIO code.
Italian numbers: use an individual migration code.
Czech numbers: require an OKU code.
Common Reasons a Port Request Is Rejected
Even when the number is eligible for porting, the following issues can lead to rejection by the losing carrier:
Address Mismatch:
The address listing on the LOA does not match the address the losing carrier has on record for the number.
Most porting rejections happen because of "address mismatch". There are a few reasons this can happen:
If your address has changed since your original registration, it might not have been updated by the service provider, or the service provider might not have updated your address with the underlying carrier
The address on file with the underlying carrier may be the Service Provider or Reseller's address, not yours.
A local site address may be required. If your business address is in a different city from the area code - the service provider may have used their local service address or a different address in order to activate the number for you
Invalid signature on LOA.
The LOA must contain a recognizable signature. Avoid typed signatures.
A digital signature or signature inserted from a pad is acceptable.
A "wet" (handwritten) signature is not required, unless CloudTalk's porting team specifies otherwise.Make sure to use a digital signature pad or insert a digital signature into the form for a recognizable "hand-made" signature. Unless specified by CloudTalk's porting team, a "wet" signature is not needed, but the signature must be able to be validated as coming from the signatory.
Authorized user
For the smoothest port possible please have the LOA signed by an admin on the losing service provider account.
A specific user’s name may need to be signed on the LOA, and it should be a name that is recognized as an admin of your account with the current service provider or solution provider.
The losing carrier cross-references the information on the LOA against their own records. For example, even if the LOA is signed by the CEO of your company, if their name is not on the file with the losing carrier it can lead to a rejection.
PIN code or Migration code:
All wireless numbers from major USA mobile networks (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T) will have a PIN code. You need to get this before submitting the port to CloudTalk. If the PIN is not correct the losing carrier will not approve the port out.
Number Inactive or Unavailable.
The number must be active with the losing service provider.
CloudTalk cannot port numbers from accounts that are already closed or if the number was disconnected in the past.
If you get a rejection for this reason, you will need to agree with the losing service provider to reactivate the number so it can be ported out.
Number on an Active Contract.
Some providers may not allow a number to be ported out if it is still on an active contract or device instalment plan.
Part of a Number Block.
Some numbers are part of a larger range or block and can only be ported if all numbers in that block are moved together.
This is particularly common for fixed numbers in European countries where the numbers are sold by the country regulator to operators in ranges.
Ask your provider if your number is a "single number" or part of a block. Most VoIP numbers will be single numbers.
Glossary of Porting Terms
Service Provider or Solution Provider: The company the customer has a direct contract or commercial relationship with, or the platform they are using the number on.
The "losing service provider" is the provider that you are moving from to join CloudTalk.
Underlying carrier: The actual operator of the number (Verizon, Vodafone, etc). This may be the same as the service provider but not always.
Reseller: A service provider who uses a different underlying carrier - This will be the case with most VoiP providers
Losing Carrier: The carrier that currently operates the number - this is who we are requesting the number from and who's approval we need.
Gaining Carrier: CloudTalk's underlying carrier that the number will be ported to. The gaining carrier is the one making the actual request to the losing carrier.
Letter of Authorization (LOA): The document the customer or end user needs to sign which gives their permission for the numbers to be moved from the losing carrier to a the gaining carrier. CloudTalk and the gaining carrier will send this to the losing carrier on your behalf. The information on the LOA therefore needs to match the losing carriers records regarding your number(s)
Service Address / Site Address: The address that is connected to the number on file with the underlying carrier
Billing address: the address that is shown on the customer’s invoice
BTN: Billing Telephone Number:
If you are porting a single number from another VoIP platform you can just list the main contact number on your account
If you are porting a range or block of numbers, there will be one main billing number.
For further assistance, please refer to:
Porting Pricing and Coverage - all countries where we offer porting
Country Specific Porting Guides - for our most requested countries
Have more porting questions? Contact our Porting team. We're always happy to help!