8x8 Number Porting
When you start using the 8x8 platform you may want to bring telephone numbers with you from your previous service provider. This article outlines the basic steps involved in porting a telephone number from another provider to 8x8.
Basic Stages
These are the five basic phases of the number porting process.
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Confirm the numbers to be ported and the data your current provider has on record.
These are a few of the key details which will always be needed to initiate a port request:
|
| Submission | Submit your request on the 8x8 platform, along with any required documentation. 1. Access your 8x8 Admin Console and submit the port request. 2. Complete the porting documentation and send it to 8x8. |
| Validation | Wait for your request to be accepted/rejected based on the information provided. Revised information will need to be submitted if a rejection is received. |
| Acceptance | Once accepted your port will be scheduled for a future date. Make sure to configure the numbers on your 8x8 account in advance of the port date. |
| Day Of Port | Expect email contact from 8x8 to provide updates on your port, and to confirm when the process is complete. |
Important Terms
When porting your numbers there are some abbreviations & terms which may be helpful to know:
- Porting/Permanent number - A telephone number which you are transferring to 8x8.
- Temporary number - A new 8x8 telephone number which will be replaced by the porting number.
- Temporary numbers can be used to set up and test the users or services on your 8x8 account before the port completes.
- LOA - Letter of Authority.
- All porting will require you to complete a document allowing 8x8 to send a request to your current provider.
- BTN - Billing Telephone Number
- The main number on your account. If you're not certain what this is, make sure to contact your current provider.
- CSR - Customer Service Record, obtained from your former provider.
- Transfer date - This is the date that your numbers are scheduled to be transferred.
Detailed Stages
Preparation
Before you submit your number transfer request it's important that you're ready. We highly recommend that you only submit your request when you are confident that all the relevant users & services are ready to move to the 8x8 platform.
To prepare for the submission you will need to confirm the list of numbers to be ported, but also what information is associated with these numbers on your current provider's records. The information required for number porting varies between countries and different types of numbers, but there are a few key details which will always be needed:
- Current provider name
- Billing Telephone Number / Main Number(s)
- Registered company name
- Registered address
- Ensure all numbers are active with the current provider
Make sure to check these for all the numbers you are looking to port, as the details may differ from number to number.
US - Service providers in the US use the Customer Service Record (CSR) process to ensure that you as the end user can obtain the information you need to port out your numbers. When preparing to port in the US, ask your current provider for a CSR. This will have all the information needed to port, and is important to have on hand to prevent delays in the process. It can also be helpful to have the most recent copy of the bill from your current provider.
US - Service providers in the US use the Customer Service Record (CSR) process to ensure that you as the end user can obtain the information you need to port out your numbers. When preparing to port in the US, ask your current provider for a CSR. This will have all the information needed to port, and is important to have on hand to prevent delays in the process. It can also be helpful to have the most recent copy of the bill from your current provider.
Global - In other countries, the process is less defined. To obtain the relevant information you will need to ask your current provider for the exact details you would like. In addition to the four points listed above, it is also valuable to check the existing carrier for your telephone numbers. Often you will be billed by a service provider, such as 8x8, but there will also be a carrier, such as Orange, who are routing the calls to and from the 8x8 platform. In most countries your port request will need to be sent directly to the 'carrier' so checking this information will help to get your request accepted.
Submission
When you have the numbers, and associated information, you are ready to submit your request. This step is completed within the 8x8 platform, via your Admin Console. For guidance on how to do this, see Submit a Port Request in Admin Console.
Note that if you have purchased dedicated support for your 8x8 deployment then this Admin Console step may be handled by an 8x8 engineer on your behalf.
Once your request is submitted via Admin Console, a Number Transfer Request case will be generated and you will receive an email with a case reference, in the format: C1234567. You can access your case via the My 8x8 Support Portal, to upload any required documentation for your port request. For the number porting documentation requirements in each country, see 8x8 Number Porting LOAs.
US - For most requests you can sign off the required documentation electronically within the Admin Console submission process, so no further action is needed. We will reach out to you if we need any additional details or paperwork.
Note: If you are porting large quantities of numbers simultaneously we may also require you to purchase our managed porting service in order to allow us to coordinate the requests.
Global - After submitting your request in Admin Console, we will also need you to provide us with the correct documentation before we can send your request to the current provider.
Validation
Once your request has been sent to the current provider they will check that the information provided matches what they have on record. This process typically takes up to 5 business days for most orders but can vary depending on the volume, number type, and country. Once we hear back from the current provider we will receive either an acceptance or rejection.
Accepted
Congratulations! Your current provider has agreed that the request matches their records and the numbers are scheduled to move to 8x8. We will email you to confirm the port date and any other helpful information.
Rejected
Sorry! Your current provider has rejected the port request. This is typically due to the information submitted on the request. We will send you an email to let you know the rejection reason and what needs to be corrected to fix it. Most rejections will need you to contact your current provider to understand what needs to be submitted next time to achieve an acceptance.
Acceptance
Once your port request has been accepted and scheduled, we would recommend again to check the configuration of your 8x8 account. This includes making sure that: users are setup, phones are activated, any auto-attendants and ring groups are set up, and any network concerns have been addressed. Once you're all set with that, you can get ready for the switch to the 8x8 platform. There are two different approaches to going live on the 8x8 platform:
Hard Cutover - You wait to set up any of the 8x8 phones until the day of the port.
- Pros:
- No need to worry about managing two phone systems at the same time.
- Cons:
- Increased work on the day of port.
- Configuration issues identified on the day of port will result in downtime whist you correct the relevant user/service.
Soft Cutover - You forward calls from your current provider to 8x8 whilst you await completion of your port.
- Pros:
- You can start using 8x8 before your numbers port.
- Minimal work on the day of port.
- Configuration issues are identified, and can be addressed, before porting your numbers.
- Cons:
- Outbound calls will show your temporary 8x8 numbers, until the port completes.
- Your current provider may not support call forwarding.
Day of Port
The day of port can often be nerve-wracking, so let's go through what to expect.
Timing
The time of day that your port will take place will depend on a variety of factors. To learn more about what time of day your numbers will port, see What time will my numbers port to 8x8?
Port Completion
Once your numbers have ported over to 8x8, we'll send you an email to notify you that the numbers have ported in. The temporary numbers that were attached to your phone numbers will be removed from your account. However, you can re-claim numbers that were used as temporaries if you have sufficient number licenses. See Claim Phone Numbers in 8x8 Admin Console.
On day of port it is common to experience some downtime as the port completes. If, however, you experience downtime of 30 minutes+ on the day of port, please reach out to us via your case and we will investigate the delay with our carrier.
What to do After the Port
When the numbers are ported over to 8x8, it's important to ensure your phones are working properly. We would recommend placing test calls to your most important numbers to ensure that they are routing as expected.
Test calls should be made from both an 8x8 number and a non-8x8 number to ensure that both internal and external calls to your 8x8 account are working correctly.