In this guide
Can I keep my SimpleTalk phone number?
You can keep your number if its account holder can authorize a supported connection or transfer. Start by finding who controls the carrier account. If that is you, review the options with the receiving provider. If an agency or provider holds it, ask them to help. Keep the number active while confirming the path.
Key points
- Find the carrier account and the person allowed to make changes.
- Choose the access path below before planning a transfer.
- Keep the number active and test calls, callbacks and any messaging.
Who controls your number?
Choose the access you have today. You can change your answer or read all three paths.
I control the carrier account
You can sign in to the provider that supplies the number, and your organization is authorized to manage it.
Start with the carrier and your current routing.
- Confirm the account owner, the number’s current routing and whether it also carries SMS.
- Ask the carrier which forwarding or transfer options are available and what approvals they require.
- Agree on a test and cutover plan before changing the route or submitting a transfer request.
Carrier access helps you plan. It does not guarantee that a number can be ported or that a transfer will complete on a particular date.
I only see my number in SimpleTalk
You can see the number in the app, but you do not have access to the underlying carrier account.
Confirm who owns and controls the number first.
- Record the full number, the client or location using it and any account or billing records you can access.
- Ask SimpleTalk or the authorized account owner who the carrier is and how a number release or transfer can be approved.
- Plan a temporary answering route or replacement number if control cannot be confirmed in time.
A number appearing in an app does not establish ownership or transfer rights. Assistable cannot bypass the current account owner or carrier.
I’m not sure who controls it
You need to establish the provider, account owner or access available to your team.
Build a small number inventory before requesting changes.
- Check recent invoices, purchase records and the people who originally set up the phone service.
- Record which calls and messages depend on each number. Name one person to confirm access.
- Keep existing routing in place while you verify ownership and agree on a fallback for any interrupted service.
Keep passwords and porting PINs out of the worksheet.
An empty CSV for ownership, access, routing and next steps. Download and complete it locally. No sign-up required.
First, find who holds the number
Check the latest phone bill, carrier account and onboarding records. If an agency set up your calling, ask its administrator. Write down the carrier, account holder and person who can authorize changes.
Seeing the number in SimpleTalk tells you where it is used. You still need the account that controls it.
Keep one short record per number
This is enough to start a number review. Keep passwords and security codes in your password manager, not in the worksheet.
| Detail | What to record |
|---|---|
| Number and purpose | The full number, business or location, and whether customers call it |
| Carrier and holder | The company holding the number and its account holder |
| Person with access | Who can sign in or authorize a change |
| Current destination | The agent, line or forwarding route receiving calls |
| Other uses | SMS, customer callbacks, advertising and verification codes |
| Backup contact | A reachable line or callback process if the main route fails |
Know which kind of move you need
A routing change keeps the number with its current carrier and changes where the call goes. Forwarding can provide a bridge, but the original route may remain part of the call and may create additional charges. A SIP connection is another option when both sides support it.
Porting moves the number to a different carrier. The receiving provider checks whether it can accept the number and asks for the necessary account information and authorization. Get its confirmed requirements and transfer state before setting a switch date.
If the account holder cannot authorize a change or the provider cannot support the transfer, treat the number as an unresolved item. Plan temporary customer coverage while that is addressed.
Test it the way customers use it
After the change, call the number from outside the system. Check the greeting, business-hours behavior, transfers and voicemail. Make an outbound test too, then call back the number it displays.
If the number also receives texts, verify messaging separately. A successful voice call does not prove the text-message route has moved.
- An inbound call reaches the intended destination.
- The outgoing caller ID is correct and a callback works.
- Transfers and the unanswered-call fallback work.
- Messaging is checked where the number uses it.
- Your team knows who can fix or change the route.
Common questions
Should I cancel my current number before moving it?
Keep it active while the receiving provider confirms the connection or porting process. Coordinate cancellation only after the new service is working and the provider confirms the next step.
What if SimpleTalk or an agency holds the number?
Ask the authorized account holder for the carrier details and help approving the change. Record who can act and what the receiving provider needs from them.
Can Assistable recover a number I cannot access?
Recovery is not guaranteed. The account holder and relevant providers must establish a supported path. You can plan temporary customer coverage while the access question is resolved.
How long does porting take?
Ask the receiving provider after it has checked your number and account details. A submitted request is not a confirmed transfer date.
Sources & review notes
Reviewed October 5, 2026. This guide is published by Assistable.ai. Confirm account-specific access, pricing and service information directly with the relevant provider.
- Twilio: port phone numbers
General provider documentation; availability and requirements must be confirmed for your own numbers.