Keeping your phone number when switching providers isn’t as difficult as it once was. Porting a mobile number allows you to transfer your phone number from one provider to another, making it easy to switch phone plans.
On this page:
- How to port phone number
- What if there’s a problem when porting a mobile number?
- How long does it take to port a mobile number?
- Does it cost to port my phone number?
- What should I do before porting my mobile number?
- What happens to my old mobile phone service?
- What if my number doesn’t port across?
- FAQs about porting a mobile number
How to port phone number
It’s a common misconception that if you change phone providers, you won’t be able to keep your current mobile number — or that it’s hard to do. The good news is that porting a mobile number is usually quick and easy and your new provider will do the hard work.
Mobile number porting can be done between telcos on the same mobile network or on different mobile networks. In fact, phone providers are actually required to allow you to port your phone number if you ask them. The steps for transferring your phone number are typically the same across most telcos.
1. Find a new plan (but don’t cancel your old plan!)
The first step to switching mobile providers is choosing a new phone plan — obviously! There are plenty of mobile providers and phone plans to choose from. If you haven’t made a decision yet, you can use our free phone plan comparison tool to help you find the right plan.
Once you’ve found your new phone plan, don’t cancel your old plan yet! You’ll need to keep your old phone plan active during the number switching process because it still has your phone number attached to the service. If your old provider disconnects your number, you are entitled to request your number back with your telco and they must re-issue your number to you (although disconnected numbers are typically quarantined between six and 12 months).
2. Request a number transfer and activate your new phone plan
During the sign up process for your new phone plan, you’ll be asked if you want to keep your existing mobile number. You’ll need to enter your phone number (make sure you get your number right!) and you may also need to list which provider you’re currently with.
Your new provider may also send you an SMS security code that you’ll need to submit during this sign up process to help protect from unwanted number transfers.
After signup, you’ll need to activate your new SIM card by following the instructions outlined by your new provider. You may need to wait for your physical SIM card to arrive or, if you’ve gone for an eSIM, instructions on eSIM activation.
Keep in mind that you may need to be the listed account holder of your old plan in order to port your number across to a new provider.
3. Wait for your number to transfer across to your new plan
Once you’ve initiated the number porting process and activated your plan, it’s a bit of a waiting game, but your new provider does all the leg work.
Keep your old SIM card in your phone and wait until you no longer have service/signal or until it displays ‘SOS Only’ or similar. Then you can switch over to your new SIM card and if you have mobile service, you should be all good to go! However, some providers recommend restarting your phone when switching your SIM card over.
After your number has ported across and your new plan is up and running, you may need to pay a final bill with your old provider (depending on your old plan type).
What if there’s a problem when porting a mobile number?
If you don’t see a loss of signal straight away, or you don’t see your new phone signal, don’t panic. The time it takes to port a number varies from telco to telco, and it also depends on the time of day. However if you feel you’ve been waiting for a while (and you’ve tried restarting your phone), there may be an issue or delay and you may need to check in with your new provider.
In some cases, the delay may be caused by having details that don’t match up between your new provider and your old provider, such as the phone number, your date of birth or account number. Double check this information on both sides to ensure you’ve given the correct details.
How long does it take to port a mobile number?
The time it takes to port a mobile number really depends on the provider. It can take less than an hour or up to several business days to transfer a phone number. Many mobile providers list a timeframe of how long it will take for your number to port across, so you may want to check on your new provider’s website to see how long they estimate it will take.
Phone number porting is also usually only done during certain hours, which differ between mobile providers. These porting hours are typically on business days between set times, although some providers may also include set hours on weekends and even public holidays.
It’s best that you start the mobile number porting process during these operating hours to ensure a quicker number transfer, otherwise you may be without mobile service for a longer time. You can usually find out the porting hours via your new provider’s website.
Telstra number porting hours
- Monday to Saturday: 7am-11pm (AEST)
- Sunday: 10am-6pm (AEST)
- Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day: 10am-6pm (AEST)
Optus number porting hours
- Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm (AEST)
- Saturday: 10am-6pm (AEST)
Vodafone number porting hours
- Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm
- Saturday: 10am-6pm
Does it cost to port my phone number?
This really depends on the provider. Some providers may charge a fee to port your number to a different provider, while other providers may charge cancellation fees — such as an early termination fee — if you cancel your phone plan before your contract expires. If you’re switching from a phone-on-a-plan service (a phone plan bundled with a mobile phone), you may need to pay off any remaining handset costs when you port your mobile number.
What should I do before porting my mobile number?
These days, most of our phone’s data is stored on your phone or with a cloud service. However, before porting your number, you might want to double check if you have any contacts stored on your SIM card and import them to your phone or your preferred cloud storage service. Depending on your device, you might be able to access this information and import contacts either in a contacts app or through the contacts section in your phone’s settings.
If you have a smartphone, it could be a good idea to back up your phone’s data before switching plans to ensure everything is stored.
What happens to my old mobile phone service?
Once your number is ported and your new plan is activated, your old mobile service will be cancelled. The good thing about porting your mobile number is that the providers themselves handle the transition, so there is very little for you to worry about beyond potentially being without service for a time. If you decide to take a new number instead of porting your old number, you will need to cancel your current phone plan yourself.
If your old plan was prepaid, the remainder of your inclusions for that expiry period will be forfeit. For old postpaid plans, depending on what time in the billing period you cancelled, it’s likely you’ll be sent a final bill from your old telco that you’ll need to pay.
What if my number doesn’t port across?
Keep in mind that mobile number porting can take time. Make note of what day of the week (and the time) you’ve activated the number transfer process, as it could be out of operating hours for your new provider’s porting service, which could explain the delay.
If it has been several days, you still haven’t heard from your provider and your number hasn’t switched over, reach out to your new provider to check if there’s a problem. If there is a problem, your new provider may contact you or notify you in your account or via the app. If it’s as simple as incorrect details being supplied, changing this information should be easy. If it’s more complicated, you might need to get in touch with your new provider to sort it out.
FAQs about porting a mobile number
Keeping your mobile number may be the easiest option in the long run. While you might be without phone service for a couple of hours (or days), porting your phone number is much easier than changing your phone number information across all your accounts and services — not to mention sharing your new number with your friends and family.
Considering how many services use our mobile number for security checks and two-factor authentication, such as banking, emails and social media, updating your phone number can be a big hassle.
It doesn’t make a difference if you switch between plan types, such as switching from a plan with a prepaid provider to a postpaid plan provider. You’ll still be able to port your phone number across to your new provider.
No! When you’re porting your phone number, you need to keep your old phone plan active in order to ‘keep’ your phone number active. Once your phone number has successfully transferred to your new provider, your old plan should be automatically cancelled as part of the porting process.
Yes — this is part of the sign-up process with your new provider. You’ll be sent a new SIM card from your new provider, either in the mail if you chose a physical SIM card, or you’ll be prompted to download your eSIM.
You can port a home phone number (sometimes called a landline or local number). However home phone services are often bundled with a home internet plan, so it may be a bit more complicated than just transferring your home phone to another provider. Porting a home phone service also usually takes much longer to transfer than a mobile number, taking up to a couple of weeks to switch over.
Share this article