How to Port to SIPStation

Owned by Nathaniel Halbrooks
Last updated: Mar 25, 2024 by Kelli Higdon
9 min read

Welcome to our complete guide to SIPStation number porting. We are glad that you are considering bringing your number(s) to SIPStation and we look forward to serving you. This wiki is for customers who would like to port phone numbers in to SIPStation from another service provider. If you are looking to port numbers out of SIPStation, please see our wiki "Porting Out from SIPStation."

Number porting allows you to keep your phone numbers when switching service providers.

You must have an open and active account at SIPStation.com with at least one voice trunk or fax trunk. Your SIPStation account must be verified. Please see our Account Verification Requirements wiki for verification instructions. Number porting is not available with SIPStation Free Trial accounts.

 

Other Porting Wikis:

 

 

 

Fees

Please see the current SIPStation Rates. 

See also the current SIPStation Terms of Service. 

 

 

How to Create a Number Port Request

A "port request" is a request to move a telephone number or group of telephone numbers to SIPStation from another service provider. A single port request may involve multiple numbers as long as they all belong to the same carrier and are not a mixture of local and toll-free numbers.

Are you planning to port more than one number? Before you proceed, first read our "do's and don'ts" to help you decide whether you need to split your request into multiple orders.

Port Request Do's and Don'ts

Following the tips below will speed the processing of your port request(s) and help us better serve you. We want your porting experience to be quick, easy, frustration-free, and successful.

Please take time to organize your port request(s) as follows, in order to prevent delays and extra paperwork later: 

  1. Please use one submission for each port request.
    We can port multiple numbers at the same time, but the numbers must be grouped according to #2, #3, and #4 below. Each group of numbers is considered one port request. We can process one port request per submission but you can create as many submissions as you need. 
     

  2. Please do not combine local and toll-free numbers.
    We need to treat these as separate port requests because we process them differently on our end. Please create separate port requests for local vs. toll-free numbers.
     

  3. Please be sure all numbers in a single port request belong to the same carrier.
    Often, the end user is not aware that their provider is using multiple carriers. Please check with your provider ahead of time to determine if you need to split your numbers into different groups.
     

  4. Please be sure all numbers in a single port request share the same account information.
    This information includes account number, billing telephone number (BTN), business name, and service address. If you have a complex account, please double-check the configuration with your service provider.

Filling out a Porting Request Submission

  1. Please complete the online Letter of Authorization (LOA) to give us permission to port-in your numbers. 

  2. Log into your https://sipstation.com account and navigate to the Location you want to submit a port request for.

  3. Click on the Customer Service tab at the top of the page

  4. Scroll down to the Porting Information tab and click on the Porting Management link

  5. Provide the email address you want all emails sent to regarding this port request. This is the email address for the primary porting contact. All communications regarding the porting will be sent here.

  6. Pick the FOC (Firm Order Commitment) Date (The day you want the ports to be completed on).  By default we set the date to be 7 days from submission. There is no guarantee the date requested is what your losing carrier will agree to, but you have to provide at least 7 days and we will make best efforts on our end to accommodate.

  7. List all the phone numbers you want to submit on this port request.  Each Port request should only contain grouping of numbers that belong to the same carrier and on the same bill from your carrier.  Please do not mix Local and Toll Free Numbers on the same port request, create two separate requests instead.

  8. Provide the Address information for the numbers you want to port.  The address must be entered EXACTLY the same way as shown on the losing carrier's CSR (Customer Service Record)

    1. Please note: The billing address on your invoice is not always the service address shown on the CSR.

  9. Provide the name of the authorized contact on the account. This is the name of the person on file with the losing carrier.

  10. Provide the Billing Telephone Number (BTN) and account number as shown on the CSR.

  11. Customer Type - Business or Residential

  12. Business Name - The account name as shown on the CSR.

  13. Number Type - Landline or Wireless number. Wireless numbers MUST be accompanied by the PIN.  Wireless ports submitted without a PIN will be rejected.  The PIN used to port out a wireless number is supplied by the losing carrier.


  14. Partial Port - yes or no.  Usually "Yes". If you choose "No", any remaining lines or services on the account will be disconnected at the time of port.

    1. Please note: Not all carrier's allow a Full Port.

  15. Upload a Bill Copy to help the Porting process.  The bill must be dated within the last 30 days.

  16. Sign the document using your mouse to draw our your name and type in the Authorized Users 

  17. Press the Submit button so submit your port request.

Viewing and Replying to Existing Port Request

  1. Once a port request has been submitted a ticket in our ticketing system will be created and an email will be sent to you.

    1. All updates to the porting process including rejections, acceptance and requests for additional information will be sent via the ticketing system to you.

    2. You can reply to the ticket email at anytime. Do not forward the ticket email, replies to forwarded ticket emails are not received.  Do not email numberporting directly, the reply will not be appended to the ticket.

    3. You can also log into the ticketing system with your SIPStation account at https://support.sangoma.com to view and reply to tickets

  2. A list of all pending port request can be viewed from within your SIPStation store under the Customer Service tab as shown below

    1. You can click on the Ticket ID hyperlink to have the system automaticaly take you into your ticket to view all replies and reply to any ticket or request.

 

FAQ

General Porting Tips

  1. Keep your numbers active with the losing carrier until after the port.
    We are only able to port numbers that are active and inservice on your account. Please do not make any changes or place any orders on the account while the port is in progress. The port may be rejected for a "Pending Order" if you do. Do not place a cancellation or disconnect order until the port has completed.
     

  2. Determine the correct information that is on file with the losing carrier. Don't guess or use trial-and-error.
    All of the information you submit in the letter of authorization (LOA) must match what the losing carrier has on file. This includes the account name, service address, account number, authorized contact name, and BTN. Remember, the information on file with the underlying carrier, may be a different from what is on file with your provider.
     

  3. Plan for up to four weeks of processing time.
    Porting can be a slow process and we appreciate your patience. The typical time-frame for most ports to be completed is 1-3 weeks. If any rejections are encountered, the process will take longer. Some numbers, such as Google Voice numbers, can be ported as quickly as 24 hours, but this is an exception to the norm. We typically cannot honor requests to "expedite" a port.
     

  4. Be ready for the port.
    If you make a port request, we assume you and your SIPStation account are ready to accept the ported numbers. You will be able to manage your new DID(s) in your SIPStation account as soon as we receive an assigned port date. You will need to have your trunks and routes set up ahead of time in order to avoid downtime. Ports typically occur at 11:30 AM eastern time on weekdays. Please let us know if you would like a specific date, keeping in mind this works best as an "on or after..." type of request. Although you can request to cancel a port, sometimes this is not possible, especially on short notice (less than 2 days). It's best to make a port request only when you are truly ready.
     

  5. Communicate with us.
    Sometimes we will need more information from you in order to complete a port, so it's important that we are able to communicate with you. When you first create a number port request ticket, you can expect to receive a response within 1-2 business days. If you haven't received this response, please check your e-mail's spam filter. When you open a Port Request with SIPStation as outlined below a ticket is created in our ticketing system and you will receive email updates as the porting process happens.  At anytime you can reply to those emails or even log into the ticketing system with your SIPStation login at https://support.sangoma.com

Gathering your Information and Paperwork

Before you fill out your port submission, there are a few other things to check:

  1. Is a bill copy available?
    When you request to port-in numbers to SIPStation, we ask that you include a copy of the most recent bill for the numbers. The bill copy must be dated within the past 30 days (issue date, not due date). The bill copy helps prove your ownership of the numbers. It can also help us catch errors. In case the losing carrier rejects your request, we can often use your bill as a means to dispute the rejection. A PDF is best. A screenshot is acceptable if there is no other means of providing a bill copy. 
     

  2. Is a PIN required?
    We need to know a personal identification number (PIN) or pass code for certain ports. Please check with your service provider to determine if a PIN will be required. You can advise us of the PIN when you open your number porting ticket in our support system. If you do not provide the PIN but we later determine it is required, we will let you know.
     

  3. Is a Customer Service Record (CSR) available?
    A CSR is a document describing the configuration of your account. It is an official document that comes from a carrier. While the information on it is coded and looks cryptic, it is extremely useful for us when we are working on your port request, especially if we encounter a rejection. Not all providers will be able to give you a CSR. But if you can obtain one, we greatly appreciate it if you can pass it along to us.

 

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