Number porting

Your business phone numbers appear on your website, invoices, signage, and directory listings, and customers often save them. Changing numbers when you change providers can mean missed calls and extra work updating every place they appear.

Number porting lets you move to a new phone system without giving those numbers up. Customers keep reaching you the way they always have, and your team picks up the calls in Dialpad.

What is number porting?

Number porting is the process of moving an existing phone number from one provider to another so you can keep using it. It's also known as number portability.

In a port, your current provider is the "losing" provider and your new provider is the "gaining" provider. When you move to Dialpad, Dialpad submits the request through its carrier, which then requests the numbers from your current provider.

Porting is how businesses keep their numbers when they move from a landline or on-premises phone system to a cloud phone system. Number portability for all number types is available through the larger UK operators, but not every operator supports it, so it's worth checking with your current provider first.

How does the number porting process work in the UK?

1. Coverage check. Share the numbers you want to port with Dialpad. The porting team confirms that Dialpad can port them and checks carrier coverage and available voice services, such as emergency calling and caller ID (CLI) delivery.

2. Submit your documents. Complete the port request for each number type with a signed letter of authorisation (LOA) and your latest invoice from your current provider. You'll also tell Dialpad where each number should be assigned, such as a user, department, office, or room.

3. Carrier review. Dialpad submits the request to its carrier, which sends it to your current provider to check the account details.

4. Port date confirmed. If the request is accepted, Dialpad shares the confirmed transfer date. If it's rejected, Dialpad explains why and how to fix it, then resubmits once the details are corrected.

5. Transfer and testing. On the transfer date, Dialpad's porting team tests the numbers to make sure calls route correctly. After the port completes, you can reassign numbers from the Dialpad Admin Portal.

You'll need a paid Dialpad subscription before you can port numbers in.

How long does it take to port a number in the UK?

Geographic and toll-free ports often take several weeks, depending on the number type and your current provider. A rejection for missing or incorrect information adds time.

Ports are scheduled during local business hours, Monday to Friday, and can't be scheduled on UK or US public holidays. You can request a preferred port date that allows for the standard lead time. Dialpad will do its best to meet it, but the date isn't final until Dialpad's carrier confirms it. If you need to change or cancel a confirmed date, let Dialpad know at least 4 business days in advance.

What you need before you port

Most delays come from details that don't match your current provider's records. Before you submit, gather:

• A signed and dated LOA, completed by the person with administrative rights on the account

• Your latest invoice from your current provider

• The full list of numbers you want to port, including the country code

• The postcode of the service address

• Your main billing number, confirmed with your current provider

• Any associated lines or linked numbers that also need to be included

• For mobile numbers, a valid PAC code that's less than 30 days old

If your current provider can give you a Proof of Validation (POV) or Customer Service Record (CSR), include it to reduce the chance of rejection. Dialpad isn't authorised to speak to your current provider on your behalf, so you may need to confirm account details with them directly.

If you're porting a few numbers from a range, check whether you hold other numbers in the same range. Most carriers require the full range to be ported, and all numbers on your account need to port together unless you've separated them from your account with your current provider first.

Don't cancel your current service until the transfer is complete. Cancelling early can lead to a service outage.

Why do port requests get rejected?

Common reasons include an incorrect end user name, a missing or incorrect postcode for the service address, an incorrect main billing number, a number that isn't active, a number that's part of a larger range, associated lines missing from the request, or a number configuration that doesn't match your current provider's records. For mobile numbers, an incorrect or expired PAC code is another common cause.

If a request is rejected, Dialpad will share the reason and how to resolve it. You may need to confirm the correct details with your current provider and send an updated LOA.

Porting numbers from other European countries

Dialpad can also port numbers from many other European countries, and the process follows the same steps as a UK port. Requirements vary by country, so the porting team starts with a portability and coverage check. That check covers carrier coverage and available voice services in the country, such as emergency calling, in-country toll-free calling, and caller ID (CLI) delivery.

Every request needs a country-specific LOA and your most recent bill from your current provider. Dialpad's support team provides the LOA and lets you know about any additional documents your country requires. Depending on the country, the porting form may also ask for a VAT, CIF, or SIRET number.

Supported number types, lead times, and fees vary by country. Each country has its own porting guide with the details. Port date changes and cancellations need at least 4 business days' notice before the confirmed date, or 10 business days in Germany.

Does porting a phone number cost anything?

A one-time porting fee applies for UK numbers, and it varies by number type. Fees for other European countries vary by country and number type. Contact Dialpad's sales team for current pricing.

It's also worth checking your current contract for any early termination terms before you switch.

Bring your numbers into Dialpad's AI platform for customer experience

Porting keeps your numbers, but where those numbers land shapes the customer experience. Once your numbers are in Dialpad, you can assign them to team members, departments, offices, and rooms, so customers reach the right team at the number they already know.

Dialpad developed its UCaaS and CCaaS products natively on a shared foundation, so calling, messaging, meetings, and contact centre work share one app and one set of customer data rather than being packaged from separate products. Calls on your ported numbers run on the same AI platform for customer experience as Dialpad Support for contact centres and capabilities like AI transcription and conversation intelligence, depending on your plan. Over time, those conversations can help your teams develop a deeper understanding of their customers and turn interactions into operational insight.