How Long Does It Take to Set Up a Toll Free Number?
If you’ve just purchased a new phone number or are in the process of switching providers, you’re probably wondering how long it will take to set up your number. The truth is, there is no definite answer. The length of time depends on a number of different factors. In this article, we’ll talk the different scenarios you may run into when setting up your number and answer the question, "how long does it take to set up a Toll Free number?".
There are two basic scenarios that customers run into when they’re setting up a phone number. Either they’re purchasing the phone number for the first time or they’re porting, or transferring, their current number to a new provider. Both instances require some wait time so we’ll break each of those scenarios down further.
New phone numbers
If you’re purchasing a new phone number from a provider, there are two situations you could experience.
The first situation is when your provider has the type of number you want in stock. This is the easiest of the two scenarios. Availability of certain numbers depends on the type of number, the location that the number is for and whether you want a Vanity Number or not.
The second situation is when the carrier has to order you a specific number. This simply means that the provider doesn’t have the number you requested in stock. Each carrier has their own process for ordering numbers so the wait time can vary depending on that.
In regards to both of these scenarios, the average set up time is around 72 hours. However, even for the fastest of providers, numbers like Vanity Numbers can take up to 30 days to set up.
Porting a number from another provider
If you’re porting a number from another provider, this impacts the set up time for your number.
When porting a US Toll Free number, you go through a process called Reporg. When you Resporg a number, you’re going through the United States’ Toll Free number organization and asking that they transfer the responsibility of your number to another carrier. This process will add 3-5 business days to your overall set up time, however, if your current provider fights the Resporg, this can take even longer. Most of the time the transfer of number happens quite easily; the most popular argument for a carrier to not transfer the number is a UBR or unsatisfactory billing relationship. This means that you, as the customer, have an outstanding balance with your current carrier.
NASC is another option when porting numbers over from another carrier. This is the second step for US Toll Free numbers if your current provider refuses to port your number and it is the first step for all other type of numbers. A NASC will force the transfer of the phone number without consent of your current carrier. This process, like Resporg, can extend your number’s set up time.
As you can see, there are a number of factors that can impact the set up time of your phone number. If you’re interested in a relative time frame for your number, talk to your new provider about the wait you may experience. However, I hope this article gives you a basic understanding of timeline you’ll go through.
