If you’re over your current phone carrier and considering a switch to Verizon, we’ve got you covered! (So to speak. Hopefully, they’ll have you covered!) We’ll explain everything you need to know, step-by-step, to switch carriers to Verizon while keeping your old number.
Verify that your number works with Verizon
First on the list, if you intend to take your current phone number with you to Verizon, you need to make sure that they can accept your number (also known as “porting” in a number). You can find this out here on the Verizon website.
More often than not, particularly if it started as a mobile number with another carrier, the transfer should work fine. In rare situations, a number’s rate center (the first 6 digits, associating it with a particular geographic region) may prevent Verizon or any other carrier from supporting it, especially if it started as a landline (also known as a “wireline” number).
- What you’ll need
- How to get the transfer PIN
- How to transfer your number to Verizon
- How long will it take?
- Cancel current service
- Or choose your own custom phone number
What you’ll need
Once you’ve confirmed that your number is good to go with Verizon, gather the following from your phone carrier’s app or a recent bill:
- Phone number you want to transfer
- Account number
- Number transfer PIN (or the regular account passcode from services that don’t have a transfer PIN)
- Another number where Verizon can reach you during the transfer, should any problems arise
How to get the transfer PIN
Most of the above items should be readily available and relatively easy to find, except for the transfer PIN (which exists just for this scenario). Here are examples of how to obtain the transfer PIN from other major carriers:
- AT&T: Dial *port, or go to the app/web portal
- T-Mobile: Dial 611, or go to the app/web portal
- Mint: Contact customer service via phone or web chat
How to transfer your number to Verizon
With all that information gathered and your number confirmed as good to go, you can start the process of opening an account. If you want to bring along your current phone as well as your current number, you can initiate the process here. You will need to make sure that your device is unlocked (a standard request that your current carrier should be able to do without issue, although you may need to be paid up on outstanding bills). You may also need to acquire a new physical SIM card from Verizon, or more conveniently use an eSIM-enabled phone.
If you’d like to seize the opportunity to switch for an upgrade, then you can shop for new phones directly from Verizon here, and follow the steps from that process to open a new account for it, selecting the option to bring your old number.
How long will it take?
According to Verizon, on average for transferring mobile numbers it takes 4 to 24 business hours, and for landlines 2 to 10 business days. They note that these are average ranges, and under certain circumstances the process could take more or less time.
Cancel current service
Once the transfer has gone through and your new service with Verizon is up and running, only then should you cancel your previous service, else you risk interrupting and causing problems with the transfer.
Or choose your own custom phone number
Another alternative to bringing your old number or taking a new, randomly assigned number involves actually choosing and buying the number you want. You can customize a number by choosing a “vanity number,” which is like a vanity license plate, but for your phone number. You can search marketplaces such as NumberBarn by letters or digits or both, so your number can be funny, memorable, or have personal meaning.
Custom vanity numbers can also be surprisingly cheap (aside from keywords related to the legal industry and other major industries). And if you’re just buying a custom number to port out immediately and don’t want to use any other services like number parking and call forwarding, NumberBarn charges no extra porting fees, etc.
