How to Obtain Phone Numbers for Your VoIP Connection

One important aspect that is often forgotten when making the transition to VoIP is what to do about phone numbers. Some people or businesses who have been using the same number for decades may be linked to get a new one solely for VoIP. On the other hand, others have no problems with using a brand-new number or setting up a call forwarding service from the old number to the new.

There are multiple ways of getting phone numbers for a new VoIP connection. But before you do so, you need to decide if you want to keep the old number or not. Phone companies in the United States are required to provide number portability - this means that users are able to take their numbers with them when they switch from POTS to VoIP. However it is not a requirement for VoIP vendors so not all of them provide this alternative.

Number portability is not possible if the old service has been disconnected so ensure that you keep the connection until the process is complete. Although this does not happen frequently, your current service provider may delay the process of number portability in order to retain you as their customer. Many people will give up on switching to VoIP if the process takes more than a couple of weeks at most.

Even if number portability is technically possible, some features will simply not work with the ported number. If so, you may have to choose between retaining the number or the set of features that came with your old service. Sometimes, a vendor may not be able to provide the number in a particular area and you may end up waiting for a couple of months for the provider to expand to your location. The service is not always free and number portability may be available for a monthly fee or a one-time payment. In any case, it is better to confirm with your VoIP provider beforehand.

For those who have no issues with simply getting a new number, most paid VoIP services will offer at least one new number (although many will include multiple numbers in the subscription plan). Some people are content to use free VoIP apps and do not want to pay for the new number. Quite a few services such as Google Voice offer free numbers with any area code without any charges (quite often, this is only available in the United States). Google Voice offers number portability as well, so it may be the best choice for a lot of people.

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