Porting Phone Number to VoIP.ms: A Practical Guide 

Porting a phone number to VoIP.ms is a practical way to keep your current number while moving to a VoIP system. Whether you’re shifting from a landline or another VoIP provider, understanding number portability can simplify the process.

This guide covers everything from starting the number port request to completing the transition smoothly. We will explain what porting is, uncover what happens when porting happens, provide an overview of how to port your existing number to VoIP.ms, share additional useful resources, and give some tips on how to ensure there are no roadblocks during the process.

Here, you will find:

1. What does Porting Phone Number mean?
2. When Can You Keep Your Phone Number?
3. How Does the Number Porting Process Start and Work?
4. Situations That Can Lead to an Unsuccessful Porting your number
5. How to Port Your Phone Number to VoIP.ms
6. Porting Your Skype Phone Number to VoIP.ms 

What does Porting Phone Number mean?

In the past, switching telecom providers meant obtaining a new phone number, since each carrier owned their numbers. This caused individuals and companies to stick with vendors longer than they wanted, which was bad for consumers. Thanks to the advancement of legislation, carriers no longer hold full control of the existing phone lines, and the processes in which consumers transfer an existing phone number, be it a wireless mobile or a wireline landline from one provider to another is called porting.

Number porting can provide numerous benefits to consumers. The first and most straightforward is the fact that businesses and individuals can keep the same numbers for an extended period. The second benefit is that it brings an incentive to companies to better serve customers with more features and competitive prices. A third benefit is that consumers can keep their numbers when they face a change of address.

Porting your phone number to VoIP.ms allows you to consolidate your communications under one service. VoIP.ms supports the porting of numbers to VoIP from various providers, ensuring a smooth transition without losing your established contact details.

When Can You Keep Your Phone Number?

You can keep your phone number if your new service provider is doing the transfer and your existing services are still active. Porting request services can be made from:

• Landline to landline

• Landline to mobile

• Mobile to landline

• Mobile to mobile

If you are moving to a new province, or to a different local calling area, you might be unable to keep your number if you stay with a traditional telecom company. That is why it is to the consumer’s best advantage to choose providers such as VoIP.ms, in which you will be able to remain with your original number even if you relocate to a different location. Note that your number will be canceled if you have already canceled your services without initiating a transfer with your new service provider.

Are There Fees for Porting?

According to the FCC in the US, companies may charge consumers to port out their number, but those can be waived or negotiated. In Canada, the process is regulated by the CRTC, and similarly to the US companies may charge but usually the cost is waived.

How Does the Number Porting Process Start and Work?

All you need to do is phone, email, or send regular mail to your new service provider to request a service transfer. As soon as the current service provider receives the notice of cancellation from your new provider, they should cancel your services immediately.

Once you request a service from a new company, your old company cannot refuse to port out your number, even if you owe money for an outstanding balance or termination fee. There are rules around the maximum time that a company must comply and proceed with the port out process once a request is initiated.

As a rule of thumb, this process takes no longer than three business days, sometimes less, unless the porting occurs from the wireline to a wireless number. In some situations, the porting process might go wrong, and this usually happens because of a problem with the documentation submitted.

Situations That Can Lead to an Unsuccessful Porting your number to VoIP.ms and How to Overcome Them

• Failing to comply with the porting requirements of the new carrier: VoIP.ms simply requires that the customer provides the latest invoice from the losing carrier, printed, hand-signed, and scanned. Carefully read the requirements of your chosen carrier and be sure to follow their instructions.

• Failure to provide the correct address: If there is a mismatch between the communicated address and the address provided by the old carrier the porting process might fail. If this is the situation faced, simply contact the losing carrier, and ensure the information is accurately aligned.

• Failure to reply to incoming communications from the new carrier in a timely manner: When performing a port, some companies use additional locks to prevent accidental port, this is the reason they have adopted certain validation methods such as SMS (Short Message Service) messages verifications. Make sure to reply to any confirmations via SMS otherwise the porting process might be stopped.

• Inaccurate corporate name registered: When the DID you are trying to port is associated with a specific business, you will need to ensure this information is in the porting form you submit.

How to Port Your Phone Number to VoIP.ms

When porting your number to VoIP.ms we first check for number availability, which is done by our Customer Support Team, or you may use our sub-portal found on the customer portal (Customer Portal >> DID Numbers >> DID Portability), then select Check Availability based on the country you are porting the number from and to.

Once the portability is confirmed, you will need to proceed by clicking on the link named: “Start Procedure.” At this point, you will be prompted to upload the latest invoice from the losing carrier. After these steps have been completed, you will receive an email confirming our LNP team has received the request. Note that in some cases the losing carrier will send an SMS message requesting confirmation for the port out process. At any point in time, you can verify the status of the process, updates are made via email, or can be checked on the Customer Portal (Customer Portal >> DID Numbers >> DID Portability >> Scroll down to “List of Porting Numbers” and see the status). After the status is changed to “Completed,” you may advise the losing carrier to ensure your account is fully canceled with them.

Porting Your Skype Phone Number to VoIP.ms 

If you have an active Skype phone number, now is the time to prepare for a smooth transition. Microsoft has announced that Skype will be retired on May 5, 2025, affecting both free and paid users. This change is part of their broader shift toward Microsoft Teams (free), which will become Microsoft’s primary communication tool. 

As this deadline approaches, many customers have reached out asking how to keep their Skype number active and move it to a more permanent solution. The good news is that porting your Skype number to VoIP.ms is straightforward, with just a few Skype-specific details to keep in mind. 

How to Port Your Skype Phone Number 

1. Create a VoIP.ms Account and Add Funds 
   Sign up for free at VoIP.ms and ensure your account is funded so your number activates smoothly once ported. 

2. Request Port-Out Details from Skype 
   Contact Skype support to request: 

1. The service address associated with the number (must be a valid U.S. address) 

2. Your Skype username (used as the account number) 

3. A PIN, if applicable 

4. A list of numbers to port 

3. Capture Proof of Ownership 
   Take a screenshot from your Skype portal showing the number(s) to be ported. This screenshot must be hand-signed or electronically signed before submitting. 

4. Submit the Port Request via Your VoIP.ms Portal 
   In your VoIP.ms account, go to the DID Numbers section and select DID Porting to start the request. 

Important Notes 

• Your Skype number must stay active throughout the porting process. 

• Porting usually takes 5–7 business days, depending on how quickly Skype responds. 

• If your Skype account is linked to a Canadian or international address, request a valid U.S. address from Skype support before submitting your port request. 

Avoid disruptions and maintain control over your communication—start porting your Skype phone number to VoIP.ms today and stay connected. 

If you have any questions or need assistance at any point in the process, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@voip.ms or via Live Chat—we’re here to help. 

Want to learn more? Check out our DID Portability page for everything you need to know before getting started.  

Useful Resources

Wiki – https://wiki.voip.ms/article/Porting_a_Number

YouTube Video Tutorial – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnVXPP1S9l0

If you have any unanswered questions on how to port your number to VoIP.ms, or need additional support with your porting issues do not hesitate to contact us at support@voip.ms