I’m Ready to Ditch My Landline But Don’t Want to Lose the Number

Next, supply your 10-digit number and any other information that the new company may request. In most instances, your old company cannot turn down your request to port the number to a new provider, the FCC says. That’s so even if you owe money or get hit with an early termination fee.

Your old provider may saddle you with a fee for the trouble or charge you a higher rate for remaining services such as Wi-Fi that you had been bundling. But nothing prevents you from negotiating that fee down or having it waived. If you’re going to another company, ask the customer service reps to cover the tab because they want your business.

Transferring your number from a landline, or what is sometimes referred to as a wireline phone, to a cellular alternative could take a few days, the FCC says. By contrast, switching a single line from one wireless provider to another may only take a few hours or at most one business day, barring technical glitches.

3 things worth watching out for

1. Changeover hiccups. You may have a brief period where you have two telephones with the same number, the landline and a cellphone. Ask your new phone company whether you’ll be able to continue to use the number during the transition.

Once you’ve successfully ported your landline number to a new provider, make sure your old company cancels your account. AT&T says that for your protection, only the account holder can cancel service.

Phones with dual SIMs or eSIMs can have two different numbers — perhaps the old landline number and a cell number — funneling into the same device. But you may have to purchase an extra line from your carrier for the privilege.

2. Enhanced 911. You’ll want to ask the new company if you’ll be able to summon 911 in case of an emergency during this period, or whether an emergency responder will be able to call you back if you’re disconnected.

3. A potential roadblock. Though phone companies must generally abide by your wish to port over a number, people in rural areas may be out of luck.

A local wireline provider can ask the state for a waiver. If you’re in that situation, reach out to your state public utility commission for clarity and for any other options that may be available.

Bonus tip: Protect yourself against phone porting scams

A scammer may try to hijack your phone by covertly swapping a SIM card, or by conning a mobile carrier into thinking the caller is you, then asking to port your number to a new device that the bad guy controls. The FCC has adopted rules requiring wireless carriers to notify you whenever a port-out request or SIM change is made.

Be especially vigilant when it comes to sharing personal information with outsiders requesting your private data by text, email or over the phone. Set up a password or PIN with the phone company that must be provided each time anyone, including you, calls about your account.