Frequently Asked Questions About Call Tracking Phone Numbers and What is “Porting” Follow

What is “porting?”

Porting a number is the transfer of a phone number between two telephone service providers on behalf of a customer. The process involves providing the right documentation to prove ownership of the number as well as coordination between the current provider and the new provider on when the number will be moved over.

Please note, the customer information listed on your invoice from your existing telephone service provider must match 100% or your request may likely be rejected by your existing provider when a “port” request is submitted. PLEASE make certain that your name and address match EXACTLY on the Letter of Authorization that needs to be submitted.

 

Can I port my number from another US carrier?

Yes! You can port US toll-free and local numbers in and out of the system, just like any other telephone services provider. Unfortunately, we currently are not able to port numbers based in areas in the US where our providers do not provide service, as well as Canada, and other countries outside the US.  In these areas, you would need to purchase new call tracking numbers only if we can not provide these services.

 

Items needed to start Porting your number into the system:

1. The authorized user or owner’s first and last name.
2. The corresponding service address. This must be an actual physical address. PO Boxes are not valid addresses.
3. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) signed by the authorized user and/or owner of the number(s). Note that the information on your LOA must match the authorized user name and service address provided by your current carrier.
4. A scanned (or electronic) copy of the most recent phone bill within the last 30 days that includes the account, owner/authorized user name, and address information for all the numbers you’d like to port.

 

What is the difference between a ported number and a number purchased in the site?

Nothing! Once the port is complete, your ported number will have all the same functionality as any equivalent number you purchase from the CRM. After the porting process is complete, we will charge your account on a monthly basis just as with a regular CRM number. To see phone number pricing, please reference your signed CRM contract.

 

Can I send and receive SMS messages using a ported number?

This requires our CRM team to file a special request and needs to be done manually, but you could send and receive SMS messages using a number that you port into the CRM. This applies to both landline and toll-free numbers. This process typically takes an extra 72-96 hours after the number ports, during which time you will not receive messages on that number. 

 

Can I port my Google Voice number?

Yes! You can port Google Voice numbers as long as they are 10-digit US numbers.  In order to port a number away from Google Voice you must unlock the numbers through your Google account.

Instead of an official billing document, you must submit a screenshot of the page that confirms you have unlocked the numbers in your Google account. Please take a screenshot of the Google Voice settings page, making sure the unlocked phone numbers and your email address appear in the screenshot.

It’s important to confirm that the first name, last name, and address you provide on the Letter of Authorization match those in your account profile exactly.

To begin porting your number, please email support and submit the information regarding the numbers you’d like to port per above.  Please be advised, CRM may charge for consulting time to perform these additional services if it was not clearly specified as included with your implementation ahead of time.

 

Can I port an International number to my CRM from outside the US?

At this time we are not able to port numbers from any country other than the US.  The best route would be to order new call tracking phone numbers and install them behind or in front of the existing numbers being used to gather/track the call data.  This workaround will accomplish a similar goal, but will simply require purchasing new call tracking phone numbers to be used.

 

Can I port my Skype or VoIP number?

Yes! You can port non-traditional or VoIP numbers into the CRM as long as they are 10-digit US numbers.

If you do not have an official billing document, you can submit a screenshot of your account page that includes your user name and the phone number(s) included in your port request.

It’s important to confirm that the first name, last name, and address you provide on the Letter of Authorization match those in your account profile exactly.

To begin porting your number, please email support and submit the information regarding the numbers you’d like to port per above.  Please be advised, CRM may charge for consulting time to perform these additional services if it was not clearly specified as included with your implementation ahead of time.

 

Is it possible that my port could complete before or after the date that the port is scheduled to take place?

As soon as we have an expected completion date for your number, we’ll send you an email to let you know. In nearly all cases, the port will complete on the date indicated. However, because porting requires the coordination between two carriers to re-route and re-configure your phone numbers, the porting date may vary slightly.

In some instances, porting may complete 1-3 days before the date specified. In other instances, the provider/carriers may occasionally have to postpone a porting date. If the date is delayed, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Additionally, in rare instances, a port can occur after the date and time scheduled. In order to avoid a lapse in coverage in the event that your port processes after the time specified, please be sure to maintain coverage with your current carrier and phone service until you’ve verified that traffic is appearing in your CRM account logs.

Finally, it is often the case that phone numbers submitted for porting at the same time receive different porting dates: the losing carrier may be different for different sets of phone numbers or, even if the losing carrier is the same, the numbers may be tied to different physical infrastructures. We’ll be sure to keep you updated about all of your numbers, and you can also track your port requests through the porting requests section of your account portal.

 

What are the phases of porting a landline number?

In order to port your landline number, we’ll work with our provisioning partner to ensure that your number completes the three phases described below. If you’re porting a mobile number, the phases will be the same, but you’ll be asked to provide an account number and account PIN.

Porting Phases:

1. CSR (Customer Service Record) Phase: CRM will work with our provisioning partners to request a ‘service image’ (account record) from your current carrier. Your port request and service information will then be screened against the current carrier’s provided record. If the information matches, the request then moves on to the next phase. In cases where an account record is not provided by the current carrier, our CRM team may ask the end-client to obtain this document so the order can be moved to the next phase.

2. LSR (Label Switch Router) Phase: Your port order is sent to your current carrier. At this stage, your current carrier will accept the request and it will move on to the next phase or reject the request for any of the reasons outlined below in this FAQ.

Please note that a request may pass the CSR phase but be rejected by the current provider at the LSR phase if inaccurate service information is provided by the current carrier, if account information changes, or if there are outstanding billing/account issues between the end-client and their current carrier.

3. Pending Activation: Our CRM team is waiting for the port date to be provided by the current carrier so the order can be triggered and the phone number activated on our network.

As soon as these phases are complete and a port date has been scheduled, we’ll be sure to let you know!

 

Why was my port request Rejected by my carrier (not CRM)?

Although most numbers are portable, there are several common reasons why a port request may be initially rejected by the carrier losing the numbers. In nearly all cases, these rejections can be remedied by the rightful user of the phone number such that 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 Customer Service Record (CSR) from your current carrier. 

Below is a list of common reasons for a port request rejection:

Unsatisfactory Business Relationship

This typically means that either you have an unpaid balance or the carrier charges a port away fee.  To resolve this rejection you must pay any outstanding balance/fee to your current carrier.  Once this is resolved, send us an email and we will resubmit the port request.

All Data Mismatch / Name Mismatch / Address Mismatch

This means that the information you submitted on your Letter of Authorization (LOA) is different from what is on file with your carrier in their Customer Service Record (CSR). A CSR is a copy of how your telephone records appear in the telephone company’s database. In order to ensure a port request’s likely success, the information on the Letter of Authorization (LOA) – particularly the authorized user, service address, and zip code – should exactly match the information on the CSR.

To resolve this rejection, contact the carrier to update your information. You may need to talk to your carrier's porting team to get a copy of the CSR for your account. Once they update your information, send us an email and we will resubmit the port request. Alternatively, send us a new LOA with the correct information.

Number is Inactive

Your numbers must be in service with the losing carrier.  To resolve this rejection, contact the losing carrier to reinstate the number.  Once the number is reactivated, send us an email and we will resubmit the port request.

Unauthorized Signature

This means that the person authorized to make changes on the account is not the person who signed the Letter of Authorization (LOA). To resolve this rejection, contact the carrier to update the person authorized to make changes on the account. Once they update your information, send us an email and we will resubmit the port request. Alternatively, send us a new LOA with the correct signature.

Wrong Wireless Account Pin

In order to port wireless numbers, you must submit a PIN. Please note that the PIN is sometimes the last four digits of the account holder’s Social Security Number.  To resolve this rejection, contact the carrier to obtain the PIN number they have on file.  Once you have the correct PIN number send us an email and we will resubmit the port request.

Incorrect / Missing Account Number

To resolve this rejection, contact the losing carrier to obtain the account number they have on file.  Once you have this information send us an email and we will resubmit the port request.

Unlock Google Voice

All Google Voice numbers must be unlocked before they can be ported out. To unlock the number visit this link: www.google.com/voice/unlock

Once you have unlocked your number send us an email and we will 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 send us an email and we will resubmit the port request.

Number is Unportable

Regretfully, there are some regions from which can’t port phone numbers. 

Have you considered these two alternatives? 

1. Buy a New Call Tracking Phone Number – Search for available numbers in your area. Please click here to learn more about purchasing a call tracking number in the CRM.
2. Simple Call Forwarding – You can also forward calls from your current number to a CRM number.
   
   

Resold Account

To resolve this rejection, please contact your service provider and request a CSR (Customer Service Record) or provide detailed directions on how to port the number away.

 

What should I do to ensure a seamless transition of service during the porting process?

We never expect a loss of service when you port your numbers to the CRM. To ensure this seamless experience, it's strongly recommended that you continue your current service with your carrier, PBX, app, etc. for at least 10 days past the scheduled port date. For instance, you should continue to pay for existing phone service with your current carrier until you’ve verified that calls are routing to the CRM as expected. This way, if the scheduled porting time is delayed for any reason, you can ensure that your current coverage will continue.

 

Can you port my number by a specific date?

Unfortunately, we are unable to guarantee that a number will port by a certain date since it requires the acceptance and cooperation of other providers, but we will do our best to help you manage the process. The porting process normally takes between two to four weeks. The amount of time varies based on the carrier(s) involved. All numbers will port on weekdays between 8:00 and 8:30 A.M. PT.

 

Can I expedite a port request?

Unfortunately, there is no way to expedite the port request. Contacting your current carrier before submitting a port request is the best way to ensure a streamlined process. You’ll want to confirm which billing name and address need to be entered on the Letter of Authorization (LOA). If the number is wireless, please also verify the account number and pin with your carrier.

Important: Do not schedule a date to cancel service with the carrier until after the number has ported successfully. Premature cancellation of your number may cause the porting process to abort.

 

Is it possible to cancel my request to port a phone number to the CRM?

In many cases, it will be possible to cancel a port after you initiate the request without issue. As soon as we receive the cancellation request, we’ll work diligently to cancel the port. Unfortunately, once a port date has been scheduled for your request, we'll no longer be able to process a cancellation.

Since the carriers involved may have already begun the process of re-configuring your phone number, it may be costly and/or difficult to cancel the port midway through the process. The further we are in the process when you cancel, the less likely it is that we will be able to successfully cancel the port, and the more likely it is that you will incur fees and/or increase the risk of a lapse in phone service.

To request cancellation of your port, please respond to the email that you received regarding your port request or send a new email to support.

In your email, please indicate clearly which porting phone numbers you would like to cancel. We’ll promptly check with the underlying carriers and determine whether we are able to cancel the port request, as well as whether there are fees or risks associated with the cancellation.

If we can readily cancel the port, we will do so and then confirm the cancellation. If it will be more difficult to cancel the port, we’ll contact you and let you know the costs and/or likely risks. You can then decide whether to proceed with the cancellation or continue with the port request as outlined below:

• If you decide to complete the port to the CRM but would like to return to your original carrier, you can file a port request with your original carrier after the port to the CRM has completed to have that carrier port the number away from the CRM and back to your original carrier.
• If you decide to go through with the cancellation request, we’ll do our best to ensure that the cancellation proceeds smoothly and that we minimize the fees and risks to you. We will only pass through any fees that we directly incur on your behalf in connection with the cancellation. We also strongly recommend that you reach out to your original carrier and let that carrier know that you are canceling the port and that your original carrier should not discontinue service on the phone number.

 

Will I be billed for numbers while my port request is in progress?

Yes.  As soon as we begin the process and need to activate a phone number for you, billing will begin.  We will start the process immediately upon receiving your request. 

 

How is toll-free porting different from landline porting?

Landline and toll-free porting have different phases in which the providers coordinate the transfer of your numbers. Toll-free porting requires two phases. First, a number is “released” from the losing carrier to the winning carrier. Then the winning carrier finishes the final process of re-routing the number.

After the number is “released” by the losing carrier, it is standard industry practice for the losing carrier to continue service on the number until the winning carrier finishes the process of porting the number. It’s important to note that we can’t start re-routing your toll-free number to the CRM until it has been released to us by your current carrier. As soon as the number is released to us, we’ll start the final porting processes of configuring your number and porting it over to the CRM. When your number has finished configuring, we’ll provide you with a completion date for your port request. 

Normally, the process of porting a toll-free number takes anywhere from 1-4 weeks, though this process can take longer if your current carrier initially rejects the port request and requires additional information.

 

What is a RespOrg?

When you port a toll-free number, the first part of the process is to change RespOrg (Responsible Organization) ownership for the number from one carrier to another. Only the current RespOrg carrier has the ability to change, or release, a number from a RespOrg.

When you decide to port your toll-free number, all you’ll need to do is send us a Letter of Authorization signed by the authorized user on the account with service address information that matches what your carrier has on file, and we’ll work with your current carrier to change the RespOrg on your number to ours.

 

What does it mean when my current carrier “releases” my number?

When a carrier releases a number from their RespOrg (Responsible Organization) over to the CRM, this means that this losing carrier has made the number available for us to port. Releasing a number from a carrier’s RespOrg does not mean that the number has finished porting. Once a number’s RespOrg is released to the CRM, we must work with carriers to reconfigure the number for the new network routing before completing the final porting process. It’s standard industry practice for a losing carrier to continue service on a number for 10 days after that number has been released to a different carrier’s RespOrg. This overlapping coverage is designed to ensure that a number will not have a lapse in coverage during the porting process.

After you submit your port request, we’ll monitor your number’s RespOrg throughout the early stages of the porting process to ensure that we know when the number is released to our provider’s RespOrg. It’s important to note that we can’t start the process of re-routing your number to the CRM until it has been released to us by your current carrier.

When your number has finished configuring, we’ll provide you with a completion date for your port request. 

 

Please be advised, CRM may charge for consulting time to perform these additional porting services listed above at the agreed hourly labor rate, if it was not clearly specified as included and paid with your implementation ahead of time.  Purchasing new call tracking phone numbers is the most economical route and the simplest to implement since we do not have to interact with your phone company to request porting of your numbers.

If you purchase a new call tracking phone number in your portal, then there is no charge for our consulting time since that can be done without needing any additional assistance from our team.  For new call tracking phone numbers, you would only be responsible for the monthly charge per call tracking phone number and voice usage per minute based on your region.

 

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