Porting Your Number to Smith.ai

Justin Maxwell Updated by Justin Maxwell

Nearly all popular carriers and services allow porting. That means AT&T Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Boost, MetroPCS, and so on. 

Smith.ai does not charge a fee to port your number (in or out), but other carriers and services may. You may wish to check on any fees that porting will incur before initiating the process.

You must follow these steps, in this order

(Feel free to print this out and use it as a checklist — it'll make things easier!)

  1. Download and fill out this file
    📎 Letter of Authorization (Click here to download)
  2. Get a scanned (or electronic) copy of your most recent phone bill for that number (within the last 30 days) that includes the account, owner/authorized user name, and address information for all the numbers you'd like to port.
    1. For Vonage, please also take a screenshot of your Vonage account page on their website showing your ownership of your number(s).
    2. For Google Voice, you'll need a screenshot of the Google Voice settings page making sure the unlocked phone number(s) and your email address appear in the screenshot. IMPORTANT: We also need the PIN you use to access your Google Voice voicemail, as noted in Google's support article here. Be sure to include that PIN in your email to us.
  3. Email both documents to support@smith.ai (in the same email).
  4. Release your number with your existing provider:
    • For Google Voice, you will need to release your number here. 
    • For Grasshopper, you will need to obtain a copy of your Customer Service Report, find out more here.
    • For RingCentral, you will need to call them and request a Customer Service Report, and let them know that you are porting the number out. More information here.
    • For Wireless Numbers (AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile), we need the wireless account number as well as the PIN or last 4 of SSN
    • For 800.com, note that they charge a $100 port-out fee. Also, you will need to contact them to cancel your account after your number has been ported; this is not done automatically. More information here.
    If you're having difficulty with your port request please  let us know and we will attempt to help.

For Smith.ai Virtual Receptionist/Call Answering Customers

The porting process will take 7-10 business days and once it is complete, we will configure the number. There will be a few hours when the porting takes place that the number is not valid and you will not be able to receive calls.

FAQ

I'm porting my cell number. Should I request a new phone number before the porting, or after the porting is complete?

Get your new cell number now, so that it's ready for you as soon as your number is ported to Smith.ai and you can begin directing calls to that second line immediately. This may mean you need to pay for two lines for 1-2 weeks while the porting procedure plods along towards completion. Once your port completes, you'll be back down to one line. This of course is up to you, but we think it's the ideal scenario to prevent any interruption in your cell service.

Will there be any downtime when I port my number?

Yes, there can be a few hours of downtime between our team receiving the completed port notification and activating the number in our system. During this brief period, calls to this number may receive an "application error" or default system configuration message. 

Questions? Contact us!

If you're already a Smith.ai client and need help, please email us at support@smith.ai or call us at (650) 727-6484 for assistance.

If you're not yet a Smith.ai client, please schedule a free consultation to get started with our virtual receptionist services or email us at sales@smith.ai. We'll help you select the best plan to match your business’s growth goals and budget.

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