Trying To Transfer Your Phone Number From Verizon? Here's What You Need To Do

Switching phone carriers is never a fun task. Also known as "porting out," this happens when you want to leave your current phone carrier and move your cell phone service to a new one — the term "phone carrier" can be interchangeable with "mobile carrier" or "wireless service provider." Basically, it is the company that services your phone and gives you access to text and phone calls through its network. You'll likely be familiar with carrier brands from commercials or storefronts such as Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

Sometimes you may want to switch phone carriers because you do not like the one you're currently with, such as Verizon adding more hidden fees and thus increasing prices for upset customers. The biggest headache comes with having to get a new phone number. You'll have to go through the process of telling everyone your new number, including family, friends, your employer, your bank, your doctor, and more.

The good news is that if you are a Verizon customer and want to transfer carriers while keeping your phone number, it is a fairly simple process. Verizon does not give you many hoops to jump through, despite the fact that you are leaving them behind. By using a Number Transfer PIN and keeping your Verizon account open throughout the process, you can transfer your number simply and efficiently.

First, you can't close your Verizon account until your move is finalized, or it can mess up the number transfer. Second, you will need to get a Number Transfer PIN. You can dial *#PORT on your Verizon phone or contact customer service at 800-922-0204 to get a PIN. You will need both the PIN and your Verizon account number for your new carrier to transfer your phone number over.

You can't have Number Lock on if you want to transfer your number. You can turn it off by dialing *611 or going to Security on My Verizon and turning it off there. When you are ready to transfer your number, Verizon will send you a confirmation text, so it's important to have your phone on-hand during the process. Just be careful about any Verizon phishing scams and ensure that any communications you get are from your actual carrier.

Take note that this is the method you need for a standard personal phone number transfer. If you are a business transferring 10 lines or more carriers, then you will need to call 1-800-922-0204 instead of obtaining a PIN online.

Moving your Verizon phone number to another carrier is free, but that doesn't stop you from having certain obligations. If you switch during the middle of a contract term, then you can be charged a fee for early termination. If you owe any debt to Verizon, you will still be responsible for that.

To avoid having to transfer carriers again in the future, do your due diligence on what high-quality carriers are available so you don't end up with a cell phone carrier that people hate. The process can be intimidating as there are a lot of steps and money moving around. Going directly into a store for your new carrier is usually a good choice because the employees there are experienced in this process and can guide you through it.

However, some people don't like to go into stores because they worry about being upsold on products and services. Most carriers allow you to purchase a cell phone through their online store. You can then call customer service to activate the phone and complete the number transfer process. If your new carrier offers this, the information is typically readily available on their website.