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United Kingdom Number Porting

Here you will find all of the requirements for United Kingdom number portability.

Kim Dorson-King avatar
Written by Kim Dorson-King
Updated over a week ago

Local Number

  1. UK template LOA (underlying carrier’s name and/or Cupid code must be mentioned, Line type {single or multi}, a Local address along with a valid postcode is required)

  2. Latest Invoice with the current carrier


National / Toll-free number

  1. UK template LOA (underlying carrier’s name and/or Cupid code must be mentioned, a Local address along with a valid postcode is required, A Billing Account Number must be included on the LOA)

  2. Latest Invoice with the current carrier

Mobile Number

  1. LOA

  2. Latest Invoice

PAC Number (PAC stands for porting authorization code and is an alphanumeric number that's required when you want to transfer your existing mobile phone number to a new network)

Providing that all documentation is correct and there aren't any rejections, a UK Mobile request submitted before 12 noon local can be ported within the next business day.

Before completing the LOA

  • All pages on the LOA must be signed, dated, and include the page numbers.

  • The LoA should be saved in non-editable PDF format.

  • Fill in the correct details in the designated areas.

  • The signature should be a valid E-signature or manually signed.

Download UK template LoA here (this document is valid for all 4 number types in the UK)

Useful information to know for UK portability

When you wish to port UK numbers, there are different factors that you must consider

  • Number detail : Please confirm the following information regarding the numbers:

    1. Type of Numbers

      • Are the numbers Geographic (linked to a specific area in the UK, requiring a local address), or Non-Geographic (not tied to a specific area, requiring a national address)?

    2. Line Type

      • Are these numbers part of a Single Line (a line terminating on a single socket, with no associated numbers), or a Multi-Line (a line terminating on equipment such as a PBX, which may include associated numbers)?

  • Partial Porting : Whether partial porting is possible in the UK depends on your current service provider, as this varies from case to case.

    Please note that most UK carriers do not allow number ranges to be split. This means the entire range of numbers (typically, this corresponds to a range where the first number ends in 0 and the last number ends in 9.) usually needs to be ported together, along with any associated DIDs. In most cases, a Main Billing Number (also known as a BTN) cannot be ported while leaving associated numbers active with the current provider. These associated numbers must either be included in the porting request or ceased with the current provider.

    The best way to find out if you can partially port your number range is to check directly with your current provider before submitting a request to Telnyx.

  • Underlying carrier : Who is the Current Communications Provider?

    This does not necessarily refer to the company that sends you your monthly bill as that company may be a reseller. A reseller does not have a CUPID code (a standard identification number used within the UK telecoms industry).

    If your current provider is a reseller, you will need to contact them directly to obtain the name of the underlying carrier and/or their CUPID code. This information is required for our Porting Team to submit your number porting request successfully.

  • Range Holder : This is the carrier who owns the number block originally, ie. the assigned block from OFCOM.

Pre-Order Validation Process

If you are unsure of the information currently on file with your existing carrier, Telnyx can, depending on the carrier, initiate a Pre-Order Validation (POV) to confirm the details associated with the DID(s).

The POV process typically takes between 5 to 7 business days. Please note that, as there are no formal SLAs in place for this process, it cannot be escalated and is dependent on the current provider’s cooperation and response time.

Time frame for Local / National / Toll-free UK numbers

Line Type

LCP is RH

LCP is not RH

Single line

5

7

Multi-Line (including associated & other numbers)

7

10

Multi-Line (150 lines or less)

10

13

Multi-Line (151 lines or more)

17

20

Complex DDI

22

25

N.B These time frames are expected SLAs between carriers. In the event of no response from the Losing Communications Provider or the Range Holder within the time frame above, an escalation will be made to the relevant party.

Time and date of port

It is possible to request a specific porting date; this date must fall within the time frame outlined in the table above.

If the requested porting date and time do not comply with the applicable SLAs, our team will proceed by submitting the request for the earliest available date provided by the losing carrier.

The standard activation time for Local and National ports is 10:00 AM GMT.

All Toll-Free ports, unless otherwise specified, take place between 00:00 and 04:00 AM GMT on the FOC (Firm Order Commitment) date.

However, this does not mean that your number will port at that specific time on FOC. In the UK, porting can take up to six hours to complete once it has been triggered.

If, on the FOC date, the losing communications provider does not release the numbers, our team will follow up with the carrier every two hours until completion.

Port Date Changes After FOC

Once your port has reached FOC Confirmed status (Firm Order Commitment), it is possible to request a change to the porting date if an issue arises.

Please note that any date change requested after submission to the current carrier incurs a fee of $40 per order.

If the Losing Communications Provider is the Range Holder, we require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice prior to the FOC date to postpone the port.

If the Losing Communications Provider is not the Range Holder, we require a minimum of 72 hours’ notice prior to the FOC date.

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