How to Port In Local Numbers

We strive to make porting your numbers as simple as possible!  Here are some tips to help things go smoothly.

Letter of Authorization (LOA)

Download LOA:  Inventive Labs LOA for Local Number Porting

LOA Frequently Asked Questions

Current Provider:  The company currently providing your phone service.  It doesn’t matter if your provider is a phone service reseller and not a major carrier.  Enter the name of the company that invoices you for phone services.

• • If you are concerned about filling out the LOA correctly, contact your current provider to request a CSR, verify your billing and service address on file, and get the account PIN (if any.)
  • PIN:  if there is no PIN, just leave this blank.
  • When you are porting away to a new provider, your current provider is referred to as the ‘Losing Service Provider’ (LSP).
  • The new provider you are porting to is often called the ‘Winning Carrier.’  They have the responsibility of ‘winning the port’ and will do all the heavy lifting for you.

Customer:  The person or entity authorizing the port, and often referred to by carriers and service providers as the End User (EU).

• • As the customer, list the name exactly as your current provider has on record.  This could be a name or a company.
  • Do not be concerned if you know there are several companies involved between you as the EU and the phone carrier.  You don’t have to track down the company that has the account directly with the carrier.

Customer’s Service and Billing Addresses:  The Service address and Billing address refers to the End User’s information on record with the current provider.  Often they are the same, but companies with multiple office locations might have one billing address and several service addresses.

• • Our carrier does not want the address of your current provider listed here.
  • If you know the LSP is a reseller (and not the carrier), providing that information to us separately is very helpful—just don’t put it on the LOA.
  • CSR: Every service provider has an internal Customer Service Record (CSR) that might be different from your customer name and billing address.  Ask your current provider for a CSR so you can correctly enter the Service Name and Address.  A “Mismatch Rejection” can occur when the information on the LOA does not match the Losing Service Provider’s CSR.

BTN:  The main billing telephone number on record with the current provider.  If it isn’t clearly designated on your account, ask your current provider to recommend a BTN.

Requested Port Date:  This is a target date only.  Ports can complete in as few as 4 days or take as long as 3 weeks, but almost always within 7 – 14 days.  Rejections from the Losing Service Provider delay ports.  Off-Net ports can add 10 days or more to the porting process.  Be flexible and patient.  Providing the most accurate information possible mitigates rejections.  If you need a specific porting date you can count on, pick one 3 weeks out to ensure we receive FOC (Firm Order Commitment) from the LSP in time.

LOA Tips:

• • Must be signed by an authorized person (preferably legible)
  • LOA must be dated within 30 days from current date
  • Watch for typos and make sure all numbers being ported are listed correctly

Proof of Ownership

Invoice or Copy of Bill (COB):   Include a copy of your current provider’s invoice to establish proof of ownership.  Make sure it shows the following:

• • Account number
  • Company or authorized name
  • Billing address of the porting numbers
  • All numbers being porting numbers (preferably showing the BTN as well)
  • Dated within 60 days (use your most recent Invoice)

Additional Documentation:  If your current provider does not invoice but uses credit card billing via their portal, here are examples of supplemental Proof of Ownership documentation:

• • Screenshots of your portal account showing:
    • The porting numbers
    • Account number
    • Customer name and address
  • A letter or email from the current service provider dated within the past 30 days listing the porting numbers and verifying the customer’s ownership.
  • A Customer Service Record (CSR) from the current service provider.

More Tips:

• • Once you have authorized a port, do not change anything with your current provider (e.g. address or line options, and definitely do not disconnect your porting numbers from your current provider.) You may close the account or make changes ONLY after you have confirmed through your new service provider that the port (both Voice and SMS) is fully completed.
  • Google Voice numbers can be ported but must be unlocked first through your Google account.

Line Options Available

Line options can be added at the time of the port in if you provide the information in advance.  They can also be added after the port at any time.

Outbound Caller ID

Outgoing Calling Name Information, CNAM or LIDB – specify the calling name up to 15 characters, including spaces.

Inbound Caller ID

CNAM Dip –  This feature dips into the CNAM database to fetch the incoming Calling Name Information for your display.

e911

Please provide the main outbound phone number, business name and physical address of each e911 endpoint for which you would like service.

SMS (default ON)

If you do not want SMS activated on any number, please let us know.  Otherwise, all local and toll free numbers will receive SMS activation by default.

Submit the Port Order

Send the LOA and Proof of Ownership to support@inventivelabs.com and we’ll get the ball rolling!