SendSquared Comprehensive Porting Guide

note

This guide contains SendSquared porting best practices and should not be used as a reference for company or industry policy.

Phone number porting, also known as LNP (Local Number Portability), is an important service offering at SendSquared. Depending on the carrier, the porting process can be simple and easy, or lengthy and complex. Our mission is to provide the best porting experience, but it requires cooperation from all parties involved.

Understanding Number Porting

Number portability is required to be performed by local exchange carriers (LECs) and Interconnected VoIP providers in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). However, within the structure of the FCC requirements, carriers may have individualized systems and processes for handling porting activity.

Here are some basic rules of thumb to follow that work for the vast majority of all port requests:

Don't Disconnect Services with Your Current Carrier

The authorized end user of a number should never disconnect services with their current carrier prior to submitting a port request. Disconnected or inactive numbers can't be ported.

In fact, in order for porting to occur most smoothly, end users generally should not inform their current provider that they intend to transfer their service to a new carrier. The end user may, however, contact their carrier to attempt to obtain documentation of their account or the Customer Service Record (CSR).

The end user will also want to make sure there are no freezes that would prevent porting activity on the current account, and be sure to have any applicable PINs, passwords, and account numbers ready for use when making a request to port numbers to a new carrier.

Provide Accurate Porting Information

Address information for wireline and VoIP LNP requests (excluding toll-free and wireless porting) should be provided as the service address, not a billing address. Often the billing address isn't representative of where the number that is being ported is actually in service, and it's the service location that matters most for LNP processes.

Additionally, the authorized end user should be sure that any and all additional information pertaining to their account (e.g. full port/partial port, passcodes, account numbers, etc.) is provided and accurate.

Porting Types and Time Frames

SendSquared abides by applicable FCC standards, requirements, and recommendations for number porting. Because the type of port request submitted can affect porting time frames - some of which are recommended and others required – this guide should provide a better idea of what to expect.

caution

All time intervals below are contingent upon the authorized end user's information provided to SendSquared being correct so that it matches the current/losing carrier's applicable records. If the requisite information doesn't match, the time interval for porting will be longer.

Port Type	Estimated Porting Interval
Standard or off-net port	3-7 business days
Simple port	1-2 business days
Complex or non-simple port	3-4 weeks
Project port	3-4 weeks
Toll-free port	3-7 business days

Standard Porting

SendSquared considers any port request presented as a single order containing 99 or fewer numbers, a single Billing Telephone Number (BTN), a single address, a single losing carrier, and a single rate center to be a "standard port".

All standard port requests must be entered into the SendSquared portal, and most will begin processing immediately upon submission. A standard port request will typically be completed within 7 business days, if a first available date is requested, and if there are no rejections on the order.

SendSquared utilizes an application programming interface (API) on the back-end of its portal that allows for quicker porting times and responses. Once a standard port request is submitted to the portal, and isn't considered off-net, the order automatically starts processing.

Example of a standard port: Wegener's Vacation Rentals is porting 5 phone numbers for their office to SendSquared from their current carrier. All 5 numbers are located in the Phoenix, Arizona rate center, and share the same BTN, end user name, and address. Also, all 5 numbers are currently serviced by the same LEC.

Simple Porting

The FCC requires wireline, wireless and interconnected VoIP providers to complete "simple ports" within one business day, unless the requesting provider asks for more time. A "simple port" depends very specifically on the criteria listed below.

The criteria for simple porting are those ports for a single TN that exclude:

• Unbundled network elements
• Multiple lines
• Complex switch translations (e.g., Centrex, ISDN, AIN Services, Remote Call Forwarding (RCF), or multiple services on the loop)
• Resellers

A proper simple port must be submitted and received by the current/losing carrier by 1 p.m. local time (of the losing carrier) on a business day for it to be eligible for activation at midnight on the same day. Any simple port request received after 1 p.m. on a business day local time will be considered the next day's business.

Example of a simple port: Wegener's Vacation Rentals is porting their basic residential phone number from their current carrier to SendSquared. Their phone number doesn't have any extra features on it, like call forwarding, and isn't part of a bundled package.

Complex or Non-Simple Porting

SendSquared considers any port request containing complex properties such as multiple rate centers, multiple BTNs, and/or multiple addresses to be a "complex port". Complex porting may also involve the losing carrier's identification of complex porting, due to legacy properties on the account that require special handling.

The SendSquared LNP Projects team aims to complete complex ports as quickly as possible but no longer than 6 weeks.

Example of a complex port: Wegener's Vacation Rentals are porting 10 of their phone numbers. The 10 numbers are located in the same state of Colorado but in 3 different rate centers (Denver, Grand Junction, and Colorado Springs). Three of the phone numbers currently belong to one LEC, while the remaining 7 belong to another LEC. Thus, the order has 2 different BTNs and 3 different addresses.

Project Porting

SendSquared considers port requests presented as a single order containing 100 or more numbers, a single BTN, a single losing carrier, and a single address to be "project ports." Project porting requires manual handling, and generally can be completed within 3-4 weeks of submission.

Please contact the project porting team for questions on project porting, including how to submit a project port, more specific timelines for completion, what is required to provide, etc.

Example of a project port: Wegener's Vacation Rentals are porting all of their store numbers in a single rate center and state. The company has 4 locations in the same rate center, and there are 245 numbers that will be porting. The numbers are all with the same carrier but have multiple addresses and BTNs.

Toll-Free/8YY Porting

Toll-free porting is defined as the porting of any toll-free or "8YY" number (800, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888 exchanges). It's a slightly different process throughout the industry and isn't subject to the same mandates as LNP by the FCC.

Toll-free ports are handled manually but must be entered into the portal similar to a standard port request. Toll-free port requests should preferably be submitted within 2 weeks of when number activation is desired.

warning

Toll-free numbers are at risk of being disconnected if not activated within 1-2 weeks after the provider that is designated to manage the toll-free number (also known as a RespOrg) has released it.

Off-Net Porting

Occasionally SendSquared provides services in rate centers that are not covered under its own interconnected CLEC footprint by partnering with other LECs. Such numbering arrangements are considered to be "off-net" because they are not supported under the SendSquared CLEC, and are identified as off-net ports (Tiers 1-5).

For the most part, these flow through just like any other standard port request, however the control and administrative duties of porting are left up to SendSquared's partner.

Carrier-Specific Porting Requirements

Different phone carriers have unique requirements and processes for porting out numbers. Below are specific instructions for the most common carriers to ensure a smooth transition to SendSquared Voice.

Navis

Navis is commonly used by property management companies for reservation systems.

Documentation Requirements

• Standard Letter of Authorization (LOA) should be completed
• Navis will always be listed as the carrier
• If porting more numbers than can fit on the standard form, include an attachment with all numbers listed

Billing Statement

• Navis does not normally invoice for number usage
• For the required billing statement, you will need to create a mock invoice with all numbers listed
• Your SendSquared representative can provide a template for this document

Timeline

• Typically 5-7 business days to receive a port date after submission

Google Voice

Many small businesses use Google Voice before moving to a more comprehensive system like SendSquared.

Documentation Requirements

• Standard LOA should be completed
• List "Google Voice" as the losing carrier
• Include Google account email address associated with the numbers

Billing Statement

• SendSquared requires a screenshot of the Google Voice settings page
• The screenshot must show both the phone number and the email address associated with the account

Pre-Porting Steps

• Before initiating the port, unlock all numbers you want to port away from Google Voice
• Unlocking does not release the numbers; it only authorizes them to be ported away
• Follow the instructions in Google's support article

Common Issues

• Google Voice numbers that were originally ported into Google Voice may have different requirements
• Personal Google Voice numbers may have different requirements than business numbers
• Some Google Voice numbers may not be eligible for porting

CenturyLink

CenturyLink is a major telecommunications provider serving many businesses.

Documentation Requirements

• Standard LOA with all account details matching CenturyLink records exactly
• Business name, address, and authorized contact must match CenturyLink records
• Include CenturyLink account number and PIN if applicable

Billing Statement

• Most recent CenturyLink invoice showing all numbers to be ported
• Account information on LOA must exactly match the billing statement

Timeline

• CenturyLink ports typically take 7-14 business days
• Complex ports with multiple lines may take longer

Additional Notes

• CenturyLink may contact the authorized account representative to verify the port request
• Numbers on business accounts may require additional verification

RingCentral

RingCentral is a popular unified communications provider.

Documentation Requirements

• Standard LOA with RingCentral listed as the current service provider
• RingCentral account number must be included
• Authorized signature must match the account administrator in RingCentral

Billing Statement

• Screenshot of the RingCentral admin portal showing account information and numbers
• Recent RingCentral invoice showing the numbers to be ported

Pre-Porting Steps

• Ensure all numbers are not in a locked state in RingCentral
• Verify there are no outstanding balances on the account
• Confirm your RingCentral contract terms regarding number portability

Timeline

• RingCentral ports typically take 5-10 business days
• Expedited porting may be available in some cases

Twilio

Twilio is a cloud communications platform that provides programmable voice services.

Between Twilio Accounts

If a number is being ported between two separate Twilio accounts:

• LOA port request form is NOT required
• A support ticket will need to be opened in the Twilio Console
• Include all required details as specified in Twilio's support article

Important Notes

• If the losing and gaining projects have different owners, approval from each side is required
• It's best if both owners submit identical support requests
• If porting away from TRACK (which uses Twilio), the client will need to submit a ticket to TRACK support with details provided by SendSquared

Timeline

• Transfers between Twilio accounts typically take 1-3 business days
• Transfers from Twilio to other carriers may take 5-7 business days

Other Major Carriers

AT&T

• Requires complete and accurate LOA
• Recent bill (within 30 days)
• Account PIN or passcode
• Timeline: 7-10 business days

Verizon

• Standard LOA with exact match to Verizon records
• Most recent invoice
• Account owner verification may be required
• Timeline: 5-7 business days

Comcast/Xfinity

• Standard LOA
• Recent billing statement
• Account verification details
• Timeline: 7-14 business days

Vonage

• Standard LOA
• Account number and PIN required
• Screenshots of account dashboard showing numbers
• Timeline: 7-10 business days

LOA and Documentation Policy

There are specific instances when SendSquared will require certain pieces of documentation, like a Letter of Agency/Authorization (LOA) or Copy of Bill (COB), before initiating LNP orders. Follow these simple guidelines to make sure the proper documentation is submitted at the time of the order to prevent costly delays:

Type of Port Request	LOA Required	COB Required	LOA Conditional	COB Conditional
Porting on-net to SendSquared CLEC			X	X
Porting off-net to a SendSquared vendor	X			X
Toll-free porting	X*
Project/complex porting	X			X

*A specific LOA format may be required for some carriers.

Conditional LOA Policy

As a wholesale provider, SendSquared may not require its customer to produce the required LOA up front, however, customers must be prepared to produce the LOA at any point before, during, or after the porting process.

An example of when SendSquared may need the LOA is during an inadvertent porting situation. In this case, the valid LOA should be provided to SendSquared immediately upon request. If the LOA isn't provided immediately upon request, a number could be removed from the customer account and returned to the former carrier or customer.

Customer Service Record Policy

A Customer Service Record (CSR) is often used by carriers to help determine that a port request is authorized. However, some carriers have policies that limit the production of the CSR only to the end user of record, while others will provide the CSR only to a winning carrier. There are also carriers that won't provide a CSR at all.

All reseller customers are responsible for advising their end users that accurate service address and end user information is required to port numbers, and then providing this information to SendSquared with the port request.

It's not SendSquared's policy to request a CSR on every order, regardless of the status of the order. A CSR will be provided at SendSquared's discretion only, and the cost to retrieve the CSR may be passed along to the customer.

Common Rejections

The most common port rejections are those that indicate the information submitted doesn't match what the losing carrier has on file. Examples include things like: name mismatch, address mismatch, zip-code mismatch, and partial/full porting migration errors.

Rejection Type	Description	Resolution
Number Disconnected / Not Active	The TN or the account holding the TN is considered disconnected or inactive.	End user will need to re-activate the service with their provider to continue.
Pending Order	A pending order can be anything from another port request that has been submitted with this same number, a feature add or disconnect, address change, etc.	The end user will need to contact the carrier to get the order close out or canceled in order to proceed.
BTN Mismatch / ATN Mismatch	The BTN provided on the order doesn't match the BTN on the carrier's records (CSR).	The end user will need to contact the carrier to obtain the correct BTN.
Partial Port / Migration Indicator	A partial port indicates the customer is porting away only some of the numbers they have with the current carrier.	Fixing this generally requires the customer / end user to review their inventory/services/CSR with the current carrier and then advise the LNP team on how the customer wishes to proceed with the port.
Carrier Freeze	Customer has requested a freeze to be placed on the account that prevents the numbers from being ported.	The end user will need to submit an order to the current carrier to remove the freeze. This process can take 1-3 weeks depending on the carrier.
DSL / Dryloop	DSL is an internet service. If DSL exists, unless the DSL provider allows Dryloop, an associated phone number is probably needed for that connection.	Check with the DSL provider before attempting to port a DSL number. Generally, the end user will need to disconnect it prior to port, make new arrangements with the carrier for the DSL, or provide instruction to SendSquared to disconnect the DSL in order to proceed.
Distinctive Ring or Other Feature	This is a feature most carriers won't port while active.	The end user will need to disconnect it directly with the carrier.
Name Mismatch	The business or residential name on the order doesn't match that of the carrier's records (CSR).	The end user will need to contact their provider to pull the current name on the CSR.

Troubleshooting Common Porting Issues

Rejected Port Requests

Common reasons for rejection include:

• Information mismatch between LOA and carrier records
• Account not eligible for porting (e.g., in contract, unpaid balance)
• Numbers not eligible for porting (e.g., recently ported, virtual numbers)

Delays in Porting

• Complex ports with many numbers may take longer
• Carrier verification processes can add time
• Discrepancies in documentation often cause delays

Port Date Rescheduling

If you need to reschedule a confirmed port date:

• Contact your SendSquared representative immediately
• Be aware that rescheduling may add significant time to the process
• A new FOC (Firm Order Commitment) date will need to be established

Order Activation (Day of FOC)

All non-project on-net porting requests are currently activated at 11:30 a.m. ET by default. Most off-net porting requests are also activated at this time, but please contact a member of the SendSquared LNP team to confirm the time any specific order will be activated if this is a critical need.

Type of LNP Order	Set Activation Time	Other Activation Time
On-net/CLEC porting	11:30 am ET	Customer may select customer activation for times outside of that window
Domestic off-net porting	6 am – 10 pm ET	For more information, see how to manage U.S. off-net ports.
Non-domestic off-net porting	11:30 am ET
Toll-free porting	11:30 am ET
Project porting		Customer-specific, unless noted by the Project Manager
Complex porting	11:30 am ET	Customer may select customer activation for times outside of that window

SUPP Requests

SUPP (short for supplemental) is an additional request sent on an LNP order to the losing carrier, that generally makes a change to the order in some fashion. A SUPP can be anything from changing the due date (most common) to correcting something on the order due to a rejection.

SendSquared allows up to three (3) SUPP requests on any order after FOC is received. Once FOC is received a SUPP request is only sent in an attempt to change the desired due date.

caution

Any SUPP request submitted less than 48 hours before the FOC date is considered "best effort", meaning there is the possibility that the numbers may still port on their original FOC date.

There may be costs associated with SUPP transactions. If SendSquared incurs additional costs as a result of customer-requested SUPPs, these costs will be passed along to the customer.

Order Cancellation Requests

A port request can be canceled at any time up to 48 hours (2 business days) prior to the established FOC date on the port. However, cancellation requests within this 48-hour window may trigger an expedited cancel charge.

important

Cancellation can't be guaranteed, so it's always best to find a way to accept a port request when it's within 48 hours of the FOC date to avoid an accidental outage on the phone number(s).

Short Notice FOC

There are times that the current carrier doesn't provide a FOC date that matches what has been requested. Typically a FOC mismatch means the FOC date given is later than the requested date but there are times when the FOC date provided by the current carrier is within a very short window (e.g. 0-48 hours from the date/time submitted).

SendSquared will immediately notify its customers (via portal notification) of the shortened FOC window in an attempt to confirm the FOC can be accepted, or if a SUPP request needs to be sent to the carrier to change the date.

Expedite Requests

An expedite request is a customer-initiated request aimed to shorten the time frame of a specific LNP request, such as a FOC or a cancellation request. Any attempt to expedite an LNP request is considered "best effort".

Additionally, these types of requests require cooperation from the other carrier, some of whom may not readily support it. Please contact the SendSquared LNP team for assistance with all expedite requests.

Any additional costs associated with the expedite transactions will be passed along to the customer.

Porting Away from SendSquared

If a customer or end user wishes to port their number(s) away from SendSquared, there's nothing that needs to be done from the end user perspective, other than providing the correct porting information to the new carrier, which can be found in the customer portal. SendSquared doesn't utilize passwords, freezes, PINs, or any other similar features at this time.

The responsibility of initiating the port request and following the proper port-out procedure is on the new/winning carrier. However, SendSquared understands that assistance may be needed in ensuring that the port-out occurs without incident.

All winning carriers should be directed to SendSquared's business rules online at http://sendsquared.com/terms-of-use/. If further assistance is needed, the carrier may contact the port-out team at 855-340-7363.

Keep in mind that the SendSquared port-out team works solely with other carriers (LECs), and not with end users directly.

warning

The numbers associated with disconnected services won't be eligible to port.

Unauthorized Porting

An unauthorized port is also known as a "slam". Slamming occurs when a number is ported out to a new carrier without proper authorization from the end user. FCC rules, guidelines, and policies establish that it's the new carrier's responsibility to ensure that the port requests it submits are authorized.

SendSquared can provide port-out notifications so that customers are able to review and validate phone numbers that have been ported out by end users. If a customer believes a number has been ported without valid authorization, the SendSquared LNP team will work hard with the other carrier to make a determination of the validity of the request and if the port was not authorized, return the number as quickly as possible.

important

It's critical to report these types of incidents within 24 hours of the porting activity.

The following process is required in order for the LNP team to process a "snapback" of a number that has been ported without authorization:

1. Report the potential unauthorized port to the LNP team by opening a support ticket.
2. An LOA signed by the end user of record identifying the end user's choice of the carrier may be required. If so, it should be attached to the ticket.
3. The LNP team will immediately begin working with the other carrier in an attempt to return the number if the port wasn't properly requested. This may require further cooperation or input from the customer or end user.

Things to keep in mind with unauthorized ports:

• Numbers are authorized based on the new or "winning" carrier's criteria.
• An unpaid bill by an end user doesn't constitute an invalid port. In fact, the FCC has made clear that carriers can't delay or prevent porting due to a billing dispute or unpaid.
• Despite validation efforts taken by carriers, mistaken or unauthorized porting may still occur. If there's any belief that a number was intentionally slammed, end users may report such claims directly to the FCC via their website.

Any unauthorized ports shall be reported to SendSquared within 24 hours of the occurrence, but no more than 1 week after. Any unauthorized port request brought to SendSquared's attention more than a week after the day it ported away is considered a "winback", to which standard porting time frames and policies apply.

SendSquared Service Levels in the Porting Process

• Submit port request within 2 business days of receipt of the end user information.
• Provide an update on each order as it progresses.
• Process the necessary supplemental and cancellation requests on orders within 1 business day.

Customer Responsibilities in the Porting Process

• Provide correct porting information.
• Keep the end user letter of authorization (LOA) on file, and be able to present a copy immediately upon request.
• Provide toll-free LOAs upon port.
• Rectify the basis for an insufficient port request that results in a port request rejection within 10 business days.
• Provide a new LOA if the initial LOA and request become more than 30 days old during the course of porting.

Need Help?

If you don't receive assistance via the tools and resources available, or if there's an expedite request, an inadvertent porting incident, or any other reason where a ticket may be appropriate, please open one!

The SendSquared Porting Team processes tickets in the First In First Out (FIFO) order but prioritizes tickets that have high priority. Opening a ticket is the fastest way to get your questions answered.

For assistance with specific carrier requirements or troubleshooting porting issues:

• Contact your SendSquared onboarding specialist
• Email support@sendsquared.com with "Porting Request" in the subject line
• Have your account information and list of numbers ready when requesting help

We make every effort to address concerns as quickly as possible once brought to our attention, and aim to have service-impacting issues resolved within the same business day and all other requests resolved within 48 hours.

Please note if our team has to escalate to the losing carrier (such as to confirm latent translations have been removed or to request an update on an order once SLA has been exceeded), the losing carriers' turnaround times may extend this timeline, but we will provide regular updates on the ticket until resolution.