Switching fax services is a strategic business move that can reduce costs, simplify the document transfer process, and ease the burden of managing fax communications. But what happens to the existing fax number you’ve established for your business? Ideally you would keep it, because like changing a personal email or phone number, informing clients of a new fax number is a burdensome task. Fortunately, in most cases, porting your existing number to a new fax service is straightforward – and Concord Technologies’ Implementation team will hold your hand throughout the porting process. The best part? Concord doesn’t charge for implementation or deployment and allows you to maintain ownership of your number.
Before you begin the process of number porting, Concord’s Implementation specialists will confirm with your existing carrier that you own the rights to the number. As a rule of thumb, unless the fax number was obtained through another fax provider, you will most likely be able to port your number.
Once confirmed, porting your number is a three-step process:
Step 1: Complete a Letter of Agency (LOA)
An LOA is a document required in the United States when switching providers while keeping an existing fax number. It is essential that the LOA is filled out accurately to avoid back-and-forth communication between carriers, which can delay the porting process significantly.
Concord’s porting team will walk you through the process over a shared screen, helping you identify the information you need and confirming that the LOA is completed correctly. It’s best to come prepared with a recent invoice from your existing carrier, which should have all the necessary information for the LOA. It’s also important to note that a separate LOA is required for each service street address, as well as any toll-free numbers you may be using.
When the LOA(s) is completed, you’ll sign the document and Concord will send it to your existing carrier.
As a rule of thumb, you will most likely be able to port your number. However, certain fax providers may not allow you to port fax numbers if they were obtained through them.
Step 2: Pay the porting fee
The porting fee depends on how many numbers you wish to port and whether they are sequential. Typically, there is a flat fee per number which will be shared with you on the front end of the process.
Customers will usually pay the porting fees after the port completes successfully.
Step 3: Porting request approval
Once the LOA is sent to your existing carrier, it can take an average of 5-8 business days for them to complete the porting process. Concord’s porting team will be sure to follow up with the carrier should the process extend beyond a reasonable time frame.
Interested in learning more about Concord’s Cloud Fax services and our extensive experience helping companies successfully navigate the porting process? Let’s talk.
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