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Updated: November 26th, 2024 | Published: March 16th, 2016
3 min read
By Will Maddox
When it comes to switching to a VoIP phone system, one of the most common concerns businesses have is whether they can keep their existing phone numbers. It’s understandable—your phone number is part of your identity.
There's a famous song by Tommy Tutone with that catchy phone number 867-5309. Because of that catchy song, everyone's got Jenny's number, but aside from everyone bobbing their head and singing along when that song comes on, it actually reinforces a great point that we deal with a lot in the VoIP industry. There's a simple line in the song "Jenny don't change your number", and there's a great reason for that.
Just like Tommy Tutone, many people get familiar with phone numbers. Whether you've been using the phone number for the entire life of your business, or it's part of your corporate branding, or it fits into a good jingle, we find that many people don't want to change their phone number.
Here’s the good news: Yes, you can absolutely keep your numbers when you switch to VoIP. Let’s break down how this process works and why switching to VoIP might be the best communication upgrade for your business.
Yes! Keeping your phone number when switching to VoIP is not only possible—it’s highly recommended. VoIP providers like TeleCloud make it easy to transition your current numbers to your new system. This process, called porting, ensures your customers can continue to reach you at the numbers they know.
Porting your number to a VoIP provider is a straightforward process, but there are a few technical steps involved. Here’s how it works:
Gathering Information: To begin, you’ll need to provide your VoIP provider with:
Analyzing Your Bill: The provider will review your bill to identify:
Submitting the Port Request: Your provider will create a Line Number Portability (LNP) case, which includes all the required information and sends it to your current carrier.
Timeline for Porting:
Final Transfer: On the agreed FOC date, your numbers will be ported to your new VoIP system.
Porting doesn’t just let you keep your current numbers—it also opens up new possibilities for your business.
Flexibility with Area Codes: Want to maintain your local number but expand your reach? VoIP allows you to keep your existing area code while adding numbers from different regions. For example, you can be based in New Jersey but also have numbers in Dallas, TX, or San Francisco, CA, giving the impression of multiple office locations.
Improved Mobility: With VoIP, your phone number isn’t tied to a specific location. If you move your office, your numbers move with you—no need to change anything.
Scalability: Whether you’re adding new team members or expanding to new locations, VoIP makes it easy to add numbers without extra hardware or hassle.
Switching to VoIP doesn’t just mean keeping your numbers—it means upgrading your entire communication system. With VoIP, your business can:
Here’s a quick overview of how the porting process works once you provide the required information:
Switching to a VoIP phone system is a smart move for businesses looking to modernize their communications. And the best part? You don’t have to sacrifice your existing phone numbers in the process. With a simple porting process, you can keep the numbers your customers know while gaining the flexibility and features that only VoIP can offer. Just like Tommy Tutone, you'll be sure to know that special number by heart long into the future.
At TeleCloud, we specialize in making the switch to VoIP seamless and stress-free. Let us help you transition your phone numbers and upgrade your communication system with confidence.
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