Porting FAQs
Answers to common questions about porting timeframes, rejections, cutover bookings, billing after porting and getting specific numbers.
Quick answers about number porting in Australia. For the process itself, start with the Porting overview.
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Before you port | CAT A vs CAT C, proof of ownership, why you must contact your provider, providers and carriers, donor carriers |
| During the port | Rejections, disputes, CAT C delays, mobile PPV, “disconnected” calls, using the number early |
| Cutover and timing | After-hours ports, moving the cutover, port reversals |
| After the port | Old provider billing, getting a deleted number back |
| Getting a specific number | Manual number searches, 1300 and 1800 numbers |
Before you port
Section titled “Before you port”What’s the difference between CAT A and CAT C, and why does it matter?
Section titled “What’s the difference between CAT A and CAT C, and why does it matter?”| CAT A | CAT C | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Simple, single-number services such as a fixed PSTN line. | Numbers with complex services (such as line hunt or ISDN), number blocks and linked numbers. |
| Limit | One number per application. | 100 numbers per batch. |
| Time | 2–10 business days once the losing carrier accepts it. Up to 15, depending on the losing carrier. | 5–28 business days once the losing carrier accepts the port. |
Ask your current provider which type your port needs before you submit. If the wrong type is submitted, it’s rejected and you pay rejection charges. See CAT A and CAT C porting and 005: Complex service.
Why do I need proof of ownership? Isn’t my invoice enough?
Section titled “Why do I need proof of ownership? Isn’t my invoice enough?”By law, every porting request must be checked to make sure it’s legitimate. The invoice is used to check that the account owns each number, and that the application matches it: account name, account number, address and the numbers being ported. If a number isn’t on the invoice, ownership can’t be verified.
Not every provider lists every number on the invoice. If yours can’t give you an invoice that does, add one of these:
- written confirmation from your current provider that the account owns the number;
- a statutory declaration confirming you own the number, signed by your local police or a justice of the peace;
- for a VoIP service, a screenshot of your current provider’s portal showing the numbers on the account.
Why do I have to speak to my provider? Can’t you contact them?
Section titled “Why do I have to speak to my provider? Can’t you contact them?”The porting team has no access to your current provider’s systems and no direct contact with them, so they can’t contact them for you. The Privacy Act also prevents them getting your account information from your provider. They can tell you what to ask your provider and which information you need.
What’s the difference between a provider and a carrier?
Section titled “What’s the difference between a provider and a carrier?”| What it is | |
|---|---|
| Carriage service provider (CSP) | The company that supplies your phone service. Your provider usually has an upstream carrier that supplies and hosts its numbers. |
| Carrier | Holds a carrier licence under the Telecommunications Act 1997. It hosts your numbers and manages call routing. Porting requests go to the carrier first, then the CSP. |
Most providers don’t tell customers who their upstream carrier is. You don’t need to know: the application only needs your current provider. To look up the current and donor carrier of a number, you can use ACMA’s public database, though its carrier details aren’t updated often and may be wrong.
What is a donor carrier, and why is it involved in my port?
Section titled “What is a donor carrier, and why is it involved in my port?”The donor carrier is the carrier the number was first issued to. When a number is ported, its routing moves to the new carrier, but the donor carrier is still recorded as the original owner. It takes part in every later port of the number.
A third-party port is a port where the donor carrier is neither the losing nor the gaining carrier. For example, you got a number from carrier A, ported it to carrier B, and now port it to carrier C: C is gaining, B is losing and A is the donor. The donor carrier is involved at the CNA and cutover stages. With three carriers to coordinate, these ports usually take a little longer. You can find a number’s donor carrier on ACMA’s public number registry.
After the port, the donor carrier must provide donor transit routing for at least five business days after the number has ported and the donor carrier has updated its ported local number register (PLNR). Donor transit routing delivers calls that arrive without a clear terminating carrier: the system sees the number has ported and sends the call to the new carrier. If those records aren’t updated properly, calls can route back to the donor or losing carrier. When that happens, the issue is escalated upstream so the losing or donor carrier updates its register.
During the port
Section titled “During the port”Why was my port rejected for additional numbers I didn’t know about?
Section titled “Why was my port rejected for additional numbers I didn’t know about?”During the PNV stage of a CAT C port, the losing carrier checks the application against its records. If other numbers are linked to the account but missing from the application, it rejects the port and sends the list of numbers to add. The most common are numbers attached to an ADSL or NBN connection, and internal routing numbers.
Providers don’t always list these on your invoice, because they aren’t billed directly. That’s why you should ask your current provider for a full list of numbers that must be ported together before you submit.
A number can also show as part of a large block. If you don’t own a block, your provider may have bought it from its supplier to share among customers and never disassociated your number. Ask your provider to disassociate it so the port can be resubmitted. See PNV: Additional numbers.
Why was my port rejected for disconnected service when the number still rings?
Section titled “Why was my port rejected for disconnected service when the number still rings?”The losing carrier only sends a code. Code 004 means either disconnected or pending disconnection, and there’s no way to tell which except by calling the number. If it still rings, there’s probably a pending disconnection on the account, usually a future-dated disconnection order. Numbers on a prepaid exchange-based diversion (EBD) are also rejected as pending disconnection. See 004.
Can I dispute a rejection I think is wrong?
Section titled “Can I dispute a rejection I think is wrong?”Yes. The porting team can raise a dispute with the losing carrier and provider for you, but you need evidence: written correspondence or a case reference number from your current provider. Without it, the losing carrier will almost certainly say the rejection stands.
A dispute doesn’t guarantee the rejection is reversed or the rejection charge is credited back, even with evidence. You can show the evidence to your old provider, complain to their management and ask them to refund the charge for the wrong advice, but they don’t have to. See Disputing a rejection.
Why is my CAT C port taking so long?
Section titled “Why is my CAT C port taking so long?”The lead times on the porting application are estimates. The losing carrier sets the real lead times, which can vary with the product, its size and the number of sites. CAT C ports take much longer than CAT A, mobile or 1300/1800 ports because of the extra validation. Expect 5–28 business days once the losing carrier accepts the port.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Pre-port number validation (PNV) | The losing provider and carrier share account information, check the application and accept or reject it. |
| Complex notification advice (CNA) | The losing carrier validates the port request, checks everything from the PNV is included and accepts the port. A donor carrier or a large batch can make this take longer. |
| Complex cutover advice (CCA) | All carriers (losing, gaining and donor) coordinate the cutover booking. A donor carrier or several batches can make this take longer. |
What is PPV and why is it needed for mobile ports?
Section titled “What is PPV and why is it needed for mobile ports?”PPV is pre-port identity verification. After a mobile port is submitted, the carrier must confirm the request is genuine and comes from the right person. It sends an SMS to the number with a unique 6-digit code. Reply to the SMS with the code within 30 minutes, or it expires. Only 3 PPV attempts are allowed before the port is invalidated.
If you can’t respond to the SMS, give the porting team an explanation so they can ask for another method. If it’s approved, you’ll usually need 2 Category A documents, or 1 Category A and 2 Category B documents. See Mobile number porting for the list.
Why do some calls to my number say it’s disconnected after I submitted the port?
Section titled “Why do some calls to my number say it’s disconnected after I submitted the port?”Once the application is submitted upstream, the number is added to your account. Calls from outside still go through your current provider until the port completes, but calls from phones on this network start routing to your account (on-net routing). If the number isn’t in your call flow yet, those callers hear that the number is disconnected.
To fix it, either set up the number in your PBX call flow now, or ask the porting team to remove the number until cutover day. See Prepare for porting cutover.
Can I use my number in the new system before it ports?
Section titled “Can I use my number in the new system before it ports?”Yes, with a diversion from your current provider:
- Ask your current provider whether they can divert the number to a number on this network.
- If they can, buy a temporary number on your account.
- Ask your provider to divert your number to the temporary number.
- Set up your call flow using the temporary number.
- Set up the phones and apps you need.
Once your provider confirms the diversion is active, calls go through your new call flow. Any attempt to divert a number can cause problems with an active port. Set up the diversion before you start porting, or ask your provider to confirm it won’t affect the port. See Prepare for porting cutover.
Cutover and timing
Section titled “Cutover and timing”Can my port be cut over after hours or on a weekend?
Section titled “Can my port be cut over after hours or on a weekend?”No. Losing and donor carriers don’t properly support after-hours porting, so the risk of a long outage is very high. It’s also expensive: a fee applies. Ask the support team for a quote.
CAT A and 1300/1800 ports are always booked for the earliest time available, usually 8 or 9 am AEST/AEDT. CAT C ports are usually booked between 10 am and 2 pm AEST/AEDT. You can ask for the upstream partner to try for 9 am.
Can my cutover be brought forward?
Section titled “Can my cutover be brought forward?”- You asked for ASAP: no. The earliest possible date is always requested, and carriers often need at least 2 weeks between confirming the booking and the cutover.
- You asked for a specific date and the cutover is more than 3 weeks away: the porting team may be able to ask for it to be rescheduled earlier. Rescheduling cancels the original booking, there’s no guarantee of an earlier date, and the new booking could even end up later.
Can my cutover be pushed back?
Section titled “Can my cutover be pushed back?”Possibly, if you ask early enough. The closer to the cutover you ask, the more likely there’s a fee. You’re told about any rescheduling charge and asked to agree before the request goes ahead.
What is a port reversal or emergency return?
Section titled “What is a port reversal or emergency return?”Both undo a completed port so your service with the old provider is restored.
| Port reversal | Emergency return | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | CAT A ports | CAT C ports |
| What it does | Reverses the port and reinstates the service with the losing carrier or provider. | Returns the port at your request, so your original provider can re-establish the service, or an alternative service if that isn’t possible. |
| Window | A short time after cutover completes. | A short time after cutover completes. |
Both windows are short and set by the carriers under the LNP Code, so contact the support team straight away if you need one. Only use them when absolutely necessary: carriers charge heavy fees for them, and these are passed on to you.
After the port
Section titled “After the port”Why is my old provider still billing me?
Section titled “Why is my old provider still billing me?”Usually because the port happened early in their billing period. For example, if they bill from the 1st of the month and the port completes on the 4th, they may charge the whole month.
If they still bill you the following month, contact them and ask them to stop billing the number. Under the LNP Code, the losing provider doesn’t have to stop billing or disconnect the number. Many providers remove the number once the port-out is confirmed, but not all do.
If I delete a number, can I get it back?
Section titled “If I delete a number, can I get it back?”When you delete a number, it goes into quarantine for a short time. For up to one month after you delete it, you can ask the support team to restore it to your account. After that, the number may be lost for good:
- A number bought here goes back into the pool. If it’s still available, you may be able to get it back.
- A number ported in goes back to its original carrier. Once returned, it can’t be recovered.
Getting a specific number
Section titled “Getting a specific number”What if I want a specific number that isn’t available?
Section titled “What if I want a specific number that isn’t available?”| Number type | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Local (geographic) | Ask the support team for a manual number search, for example a Dandenong, VIC number ending in 700. Give a few prefixes or patterns. A manual search fee applies, and it’s higher for a premium number. Ask the support team for a quote. There’s no guarantee a number is found, and the more specific the request, the less likely it is. |
| Mobile | A manual search is possible, but suppliers rarely find suitable numbers. The same manual search fees apply. Ask the support team for a quote. |
| 1300 and 1800 | No manual search. Search ACMA’s numbering system. If a number is Spare with no enhanced rights of use (EROU) holder, buy it from ACMA as a smart number, then port it in: see Smart numbers. If it’s allocated to a carrier, call it to check whether it’s in use. If not, the current carrier may sell it to you, and you can port it in. If it has an EROU holder, you must wait until the EROU expires and the number returns to ACMA. |