Porting existing phone numbers - Amazon Chime
Prerequisites for porting numbersPorting phone numbers inSubmitting required documentsViewing request statusAssigning ported numbersPorting phone numbers outPhone number porting status definitions

You must be an Amazon Chime system administrator to complete the steps in this guide. If you need help with the Amazon Chime desktop client, web app, or mobile app, see Getting support in the Amazon Chime User Guide.

Porting existing phone numbers

In addition to provisioning phone numbers, you can also port numbers from your phone carrier into your inventory. This includes toll-free numbers.

Note

If you need to port international numbers, use Amazon Chime Voice Connector's, or use SIP media applications, you must create an Amazon Chime SDK administrator account and use the Amazon Chime SDK console. For more information about doing that, refer to Prerequisites, in the Amazon Chime SDK Administrator Guide.

The following sections explain how to port phone numbers.

Prerequisites for porting numbers

To port numbers, you must have a Letter of Agency (LOA). You must have an LOA for domestic phone numbers. Download the Letter of Agency (LOA) form and fill it out. If you need to port phone numbers from different carriers, fill out a separate LOA for each carrier.

Porting phone numbers in

You create a support request to port existing phone numbers in.

To port existing phone numbers

  1. Open the Amazon Chime console at https://chime.aws.amazon.com/.

  2. On the command bar at the top of the page, choose Support, then choose Submit request.

    Support menu showing the Submit request and AWS Billing commands.

    That takes you to the AWS Support console.

    Note

    You can also go directly to the AWS Support Center page. If you do, choose Create case, then follow the steps below.

  3. Under How can we help, do the following:

    1. Choose Account and billing.

    2. From the Service list, choose Chime SDK (Number Management).

    3. From the Category list, choose Phone Number Port In.

    4. Choose Next step: Additional information.

  4. Under Additional information, do the following

    1. Under Subject, enter Porting phone numbers in.

    2. Under Description, enter the following information:

      For porting US numbers:

      • Billing Telephone Number (BTN) of the account.

      • Authorizing person’s name. This is the person in charge of account billing with the current carrier.

      • Current carrier, if known.

      • Service account number, if this information is present with the current carrier.

      • Service PIN, if available.

      • Service address and customer name, as they appear in your current carrier contract.

      • Requested date and time for the port.

      • (Optional) If you want to port your Billing Telephone Number (BTN), select one of the following options:

        • I am porting my BTN and I want to replace it with a new BTN that I am providing. I can confirm that this new BTN is on the same account with the current carrier.

        • I am porting my BTN and I want to close out my account with my current carrier.

        • I am porting my BTN because my account is currently set up so that each phone number is its own BTN. (Select this option only when your account with the current carrier is set up this way.)

        • After you choose an option, attach your Letter of Agency (LOA) to the request.

      For porting international numbers:

      • You must use the SIP Media Application Dial-In product type for non-US phone numbers.

      • Type of number (Local or Toll-Free)

      • Existing phone numbers to port in.

      • Estimate usage volume

      • Country

    3. From the Phone number type list, select Business Calling, SIP Media Application Dial-In, or Voice Connector.

    4. Under Phone number, enter at least one phone number, even if you're porting multiple numbers.

    5. Under Porting Date, enter the desired porting date.

    6. Under Porting Time, enter the desired time.

    7. Choose Next step: Solve now or contact us.

  5. Under Solve now or contact us, choose Contact us.

  6. From the Preferred contact language list, choose a language

  7. Choose Web or Phone. If you choose Phone, enter your phone number. When finished, choose Submit.

AWS Support lets you know whether your phone numbers can be ported from your existing phone carrier. If you can, you need to submit any required documents. The steps in the next section explain how to submit those documents.

Submitting required documents

After AWS Support says you can port phone numbers, you need to submit any required documents. The following steps explain how.

Note

AWS Support provides a secure Amazon S3 link for uploading all requested documents. Do not proceed until you receive the link.

To submit documents

  1. Open the Amazon Chime console at https://chime.aws.amazon.com/.

  2. Sign in to your AWS account, then open the Amazon S3 upload link generated specifically for your account.

    Note

    The link expires after ten days. It is generated specifically for the account that created the case. The link requires an authorized user from the account to perform the upload.

  3. Choose Add Files, then select the identity documents related to your request.

  4. Expand the Permissions section, and choose Specify individual ACL permissions.

  5. At the end of the Access control list (ACL) section, choose Add grantee, then paste the key provided by AWS Support into the Grantee box.

  6. Under Objects, choose the Read checkbox, then choose Upload.

After you provide the Letter of Agency (LOA), AWS Support confirms with your existing phone carrier that the information on the LOA is correct. If the information provided on the LOA does not match the information that your phone carrier has on file, AWS Support contacts you to update the information provided on the LOA.

Viewing request status

The following steps explain how to use the Amazon Chime console to view the status of your porting requests.

To view the status

  1. Open the Amazon Chime console at https://chime.aws.amazon.com/.

  2. In the navigation pane, choose Phone number management.

  3. Choose the Orders tab.

The Status column shows the status of your request. AWS Support also contacts you with updates and requests for further information, as needed. For more information, see Phone number porting status definitions, later in this section.

Assigning ported numbers

After your phone carrier confirms that the LOA is correct, they review and approve the requested port. Then they provide AWS Support with a Firm Order Commit (FOC) date and time for the port to occur.

On the FOC date, the ported phone numbers are activated for use. You must then assign the numbers to users in the desired account.

To assign phone numbers

  1. Open the Amazon Chime console at https://chime.aws.amazon.com/.

  2. In the navigation pane, choose Phone number management.

  3. On the Inventory tab, select the checkbox next to the number that you want to assign, then choose Assign.

    Note

    You can only choose one number at a time.

  4. On the Assign +1phone number to a user profile page, select the account for the number, then choose Next.

  5. Select the user that you want to assign the number to, then choose Assign.

Porting phone numbers out

You port numbers out of Amazon Chime by initiating a porting request with your winning carrier. When submitting information to your winning carrier, include your AWS account ID as the account ID associated with the phone number being ported.

When the porting process finishes and your winning carrier has the numbers, you must unassign and delete those numbers from your inventory. For more information, see Unassigning Amazon Chime Business Calling phone numbers and Deleting phone numbers in this guide.

Important

  • The ability to port numbers out depends on the winning carrier’s ability to accept those numbers.

  • Verifying the authenticity of the winning carrier's port-out request is critical for the security of your phone number. If the account details are not correct (for example, there's an account ID mismatch), your port-out request may be rejected, causing delays and requiring you to resubmit your request.

(Optional) How to request a PIN to protect your number

For additional security, you can contact us to apply a PIN to your number. The winning carrier then uses that PIN. Follow these steps:

To request a PIN

  1. Open the Amazon Chime console at https://chime.aws.amazon.com/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Contact Us, choose Support.

    That takes you to the AWS Support console.

    Note

    You can also go directly to the AWS Support Center page. If you do, choose Create case, then follow the steps below.

  3. Under How can we help, do the following:

    1. Choose Account and billing.

    2. From the Service list, choose Chime SDK (Number Management).

    3. From the Category list, choose Phone Number Port Out.

    4. Choose Next step: Additional information.

  4. Under Additional information, do the following

    1. Under Subject, enter Porting phone numbers out.

    2. Under Description, enter the following.

      I would like to assign a pin to my phone number: Pin: ABCD123 Phone Number: 1234567890

      Note

      You must provide an alphanumeric PIN of 4 - 10 characters.

AWS Support associates a PIN with the phone number. When requesting the port with your winning carrier, provide your AWS account ID and PIN. We will use that information to validate any port requests received for your number.

Phone number porting status definitions

After you submit a request to port existing phone numbers into Amazon Chime, you can view the status of your porting request in the Amazon Chime console under Calling, Phone number management, Pending.

Porting statuses and definitions include the following:

CANCELLED

AWS Support cancelled the porting order because of an issue with the port, such as a cancellation request from the carrier or from you. AWS Support contacts you with details.

CANCEL_REQUESTED

AWS Support is processing a cancellation of the porting order because of an issue with the port, such as a cancellation request from the carrier or from you. AWS Support contacts you with details.

CHANGE_REQUESTED

AWS Support is processing your change request, and the carrier response is pending. Allow for additional processing time.

COMPLETED

Your porting order is completed, and your phone numbers are activated.

EXCEPTION

AWS Support contacts you for additional details needed to complete the port request. Allow for additional processing time.

FOC

The FOC date is confirmed with the carrier. AWS Support contacts you to confirm the date.

PENDING DOCUMENTS

AWS Support contacts you for additional documents needed to complete the port request. Allow for additional processing time.

SUBMITTED

Your porting order is submitted, and the carrier response is pending.