The short answer
A port is a paperwork exchange between two carriers. When it slips, the cause is a mismatch between what we submitted and what the losing carrier has on file. A rejection names the reason; we tell you in plain words, you fix it with them, and we resubmit. Most rejected ports complete on the second try.
Account number
The account number the port needs is the one on the account record, and it is often not the one printed on the invoice. Ask the current carrier for the Customer Service Record, sometimes called the port-out information, for the numbers you are moving. A transposed digit rejects the port.
Name and address
The name has to match the carrier's record exactly, "ABC Inc" against "ABC Incorporated" included, and so does the service address, down to the suite number. Businesses move and phone accounts do not follow; update the address with the old carrier first, confirm it took, then we resubmit. An account still in a previous owner's name, or in a personal name where the business is a corporation, is rejected for authorization until the old carrier updates the account holder.
Pending orders and freezes
An open order on the old account, a line being added, a feature change, a billing dispute, blocks the port until it closes. So does a port-out freeze or lock some carriers place on business accounts. Ask the old carrier to close anything open and to lift any freeze.
Cell numbers
A wireless number ports on a Number Transfer PIN, not the account passcode. Generate it in the carrier's app or by dialing 611 (on T-Mobile: Account, then Transfer your number), and send it to us the same day, because it expires quickly. A stale PIN or the account passcode comes back as a rejection.
Calling the old carrier
Getting the record, a transfer PIN, a closed order or a name change all need you to authenticate with the old carrier. They will not talk to us on your behalf. Once you have the corrected detail, send it to us and we resubmit; the clock starts over from acceptance.
Getting help
If a port has sat for more than a week with no clear status, call 718.395.1550. We pull the submission, read you the exact rejection reason if there is one, and say what is next. The whole road is in porting your numbers.