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Phone Number Porting SOP

A standard process for moving customer phone numbers from Google Voice, a local phone company, mobile carriers, or VoIP providers into the HandymanPro phone system.

Last updated: July 5, 2026

Overview

Phone number porting is the process of moving an existing phone number from one provider to another. For HandymanPro onboarding, treat every port as a small project with information gathering, authorization, carrier submission, cutover testing, and final cleanup.

Do not cancel the old phone service before the port is completed and tested. The number must remain active with the current provider during the port.

Information To Collect For Each Number

  • Phone number being ported.
  • Current provider, such as Google Voice, local phone company, VoIP provider, or mobile carrier.
  • Legal business name or account holder name on file.
  • Service address on file with the provider.
  • Billing address, if different from service address.
  • Account number.
  • Port-out PIN, passcode, or transfer PIN.
  • Recent bill or invoice PDF, ideally from the last 30 days.
  • Whether the number handles voice, SMS, MMS, fax, alarm, call tracking, or voicemail.
  • Whether the number is the main billing telephone number for a bundled account.

Standard Process

  1. Inventory numbers. List every number the customer uses and identify the current provider for each one.
  2. Verify ownership details. Match the provider's exact customer service record. Small mismatches in name, address, account number, or PIN can trigger a rejection.
  3. Collect authorization. Have the customer sign the required Letter of Authorization or provider equivalent, and collect a recent bill.
  4. Submit the port request. Submit through the destination carrier or phone platform used by HandymanPro.
  5. Track carrier status. Watch for accepted, rejected, FOC date, porting, ported, and failed states.
  6. Prepare routing before cutover. Configure business hours, ring groups, IVR, voicemail, missed-call text, emergency routing, and SMS handling on a temporary number first.
  7. Test immediately after cutover. Test inbound voice, outbound caller ID, inbound SMS, outbound SMS, voicemail, missed-call automation, and CRM logging.
  8. Cancel old service only after validation. Once the ported number is working in production, the customer can cancel or downgrade old service if no bundled services depend on it.

Google Voice Numbers

Google Voice numbers usually require the account owner or Google Workspace admin to unlock or release the number before a port request can succeed.

Personal Google Voice

  • Ask the customer to unlock the number inside Google Voice.
  • Google may charge an unlock fee unless the number was originally ported into Google Voice.
  • Use the unlocked number and Google account details in the destination carrier port request.

Google Workspace Voice

  • The Google Workspace admin should retrieve the port-out information from the Google Admin Console.
  • Use that port-out code or PIN with the destination carrier.

Local Phone Company Numbers

Local phone company ports often need extra care because the number may be tied to internet, fax, alarm lines, rollover groups, or a main billing account.

  • Request the Customer Service Record, often called a CSR, from the losing carrier.
  • Ask whether the number is the BTN, or billing telephone number, for the account.
  • Ask whether a port freeze, number lock, PIN, or password is active.
  • Confirm whether porting the number will disconnect internet, fax, alarm, voicemail, or other bundled services.
  • If bundled services are involved, have the carrier split the phone number from the bundle before the port.

HandymanPro Implementation Checklist

  • Create a tenant phone-number record for each number.
  • Attach bill, CSR, LOA, and port request notes.
  • Set status: information needed, submitted, rejected, accepted, FOC date scheduled, ported, tested, old service canceled.
  • Configure voice routing before the cutover date.
  • Configure SMS routing and compliance before relying on outbound campaigns.
  • Map calls and texts to the right tenant, staff user, ring group, or emergency path.
  • Update public listings after port completion: website, Google Business Profile, ads, email signatures, forms, call tracking, and printed material.

Common Rejection Reasons

  • Account name does not match the current provider record.
  • Service address does not match the provider record.
  • Account number is wrong or missing.
  • PIN, transfer PIN, or password is wrong or missing.
  • The number is inactive or disconnected.
  • The number is locked or has a port freeze.
  • The number is part of a bundled local phone company account.
  • Wrong number type was submitted, such as treating a wireless number as a landline.

Customer-Facing Script

Use this when explaining the process to a new customer:

We can usually move your existing business numbers into HandymanPro so your calls, texts, missed-call replies, and CRM logging all work from one place. To do that, we need the exact account information from your current phone provider, a recent bill, and any transfer PIN or port-out code. Please keep your current phone service active until we confirm the number has moved and we have tested calls and texts. If the number is bundled with internet, fax, alarm, or other services, we will check that before submitting the port.

References