5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Telecom Onboarding Faster and Easier

Telecom onboarding gets easier when you're prepared. The key is aligning your team internally, assigning a knowledgeable point of contact, and making sure your provider has the context and access they need to do their job well. That alone can eliminate most of the common delays we see.

Many companies treat onboarding as a handoff rather than a collaboration. But without shared knowledge and clear roles, your provider is left guessing, and that's where mistakes and missed expectations happen.

We’ve supported hundreds of telecom installations and seen the same pain points show up again and again. While every onboarding is different, the core problems and solutions are usually the same.

In this guide, we’ll show you five simple things you can do to make your onboarding experience smoother, faster, and more effective from day one.

1. Assign a Point of Contact Who Knows Your Phone System

It sounds simple, but this is the most common cause of onboarding delays. The person signing the agreement isn’t always the person who knows how the phones are actually used.

Your main point of contact should:

• Know how calls flow through your business
• Be aware of who needs to ring together, what groups exist, and any special configurations like paging or door phones
• Be available and responsive during the onboarding and installation phase

Having the right person in place means faster decisions, fewer surprises, and a system that’s built to match how your team really works.

2. Send Recent Invoices and Confirm Your Authorized User

Before porting and installation can begin, your provider will need to submit a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to your current carrier. To do that, they need an up-to-date invoice that includes:

• Your account number
• Service address (not just billing address)
• Billing Telephone Number (BTN)
• A clear list of numbers on your account

You also need to confirm who is authorized to make account changes. Sometimes it’s a billing contact or someone who hasn’t been with the company in years. Double-check that the authorized user on file is someone currently active and accessible.

3. Get Clear on What You Have and What You Want

Knowing how your system is set up is important. Knowing what you want it to do is even more valuable.

A clear understanding of your current phone setup helps your provider avoid mistakes and improve the design of your new system. Even better: involve someone who has a clear goal for your new system. This will help your provider better meet your needs.

Helpful things to provide include:

• Access to your current phone system portal
• A list of extensions or user directory (with emails if possible)
• Any details on voicemail routing, call groups, or device preferences

If you don’t have this information, assign someone who can gather it quickly. It saves time and helps avoid missed users or misconfigured features.

4. Coordinate Early with Your IT Team and Existing Provider

Even if your new provider is supplying the phones and service, your IT team or vendor still plays a major role. Especially in "bring your own bandwidth" setups, where the phone system relies on your existing network.

What helps onboarding move smoothly:

• Make sure your IT vendor knows the install schedule and can be available
• Alert your current carrier that you’re moving services (check your contract for termination timelines or fees)
• Understand disconnect rules some providers require 30 or 60 days notice before stopping billing

Surprises in this area usually mean billing overlaps, missed cutovers, or avoidable downtime.

5. Treat Your Phone System Like a Strategic Business Tool

Many companies underestimate how important their phone setup still is. Even if calls are less frequent, they remain high-value customer moments. A poor experience here reflects on your business.

Modern business phones do much more than sit on a desk. They're part of a broader communication system that includes mobile tools, smart features, and cloud connectivity. Your system may include:

• Mobile app users
• Voicemail to email and transcription
• Web phone access for remote employees
• Business texting (SMS)

Talk to your team before onboarding begins. Who uses their cell phone? Who needs a headset? Who answers general calls? You might uncover needs your current setup doesn’t meet.

When you approach phones as part of your tech stack, not just a utility, you unlock better tools, better customer experiences, and better ROI.

Bonus Tip: Share What Sales Promised

One hidden gap that causes onboarding delays? Misaligned expectations between sales and onboarding teams.

A good provider will hold an internal kickoff to make sure the onboarding team knows what to expect. However, if it seems your onboarding rep doesn’t know what you were told about timelines, features, or contract terms, delays are likely.

Be proactive:

• Confirm what was discussed with sales
• Share any unique needs or priorities
• Ask if your onboarding manager has the full picture

A little clarity upfront can save weeks of back-and-forth.

Start Strong for a Faster Finish

The fastest way to a clean, efficient onboarding is to start with the right people, the right documents, and the right mindset. That means assigning a knowledgeable point of contact, gathering your telecom details early, and approaching your phone system like the business tool it is.

Onboarding is your opportunity to build something better, not just transfer the same problems to a new platform. When you come prepared, your provider can deliver a better system, faster.

Want to avoid onboarding delays? Talk to an expert about how to prep your team and your system the right way. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does telecom onboarding usually take?

Typical onboarding takes between 2 to 4 weeks depending on the size of the deployment, complexity of the setup, and how quickly necessary information is provided. Having your documents and team ready can significantly speed this up. Read More

Who should be the point of contact during onboarding?

Choose someone who understands your phone system’s day-to-day use, not just the person who signed the contract. They’ll help configure the system to fit your needs.

What if I don’t know how our current phone system is set up?

That’s okay, your provider can help. But the more information you can gather (portal access, extension lists, call flow diagrams), the faster and more accurate the setup will be.

What’s the role of my IT team in telecom onboarding?

Your IT team should coordinate on install dates, network compatibility, and user setup. Their involvement is especially important in bring-your-own-bandwidth scenarios.

Can I change my phone setup during onboarding?

Yes, and it’s encouraged. Onboarding is the best time to rethink your call flows, voicemail setup, and user features to make sure they support your business goals.