As your business grows and your priorities change, your phone needs will evolve with them. For many small businesses – AccessDirect included – those initial lean years require making the most of a shoestring budget. Many entrepreneurs will start off using their personal cellphone as their primary point of contact, only to find themselves needing something more professional down the road.
It used to be that switching over to a professional VoIP system required getting rid of your old number and inconveniencing your existing clients. Not anymore. With AccessDirect, it’s easy to move a cellphone number to the cloud. Here’s our guide on how to port a phone number.
HOW TO PORT A PHONE NUMBER FROM GOOGLE VOICE
- Sign into your Google account at https://www.google.com/voice/unlock.
- Select the Google Voice number that you wish to port out.
- Click “Unlock My Number.”
- Click “Continue.”
- Complete the transaction through your Google Wallet account. Unlocking a Google Voice number for porting costs $3, unless it originally was a cell phone number.
- Contact your AccessDirect representative with the Google Voice number you wish to port and the PIN you use to check voicemails.
- We will submit the port and keep you up to date, including the date and time of the port’s completion.
- Once the port is complete, your original number will be active on your auto-attendant programming with AccessDirect.
How To Port Your Cell Phone Number Into The Cloud From AT&T
- Call AT&T Customer Service.
- Tell AT&T you want to add a new number to your service and then port your original cell phone number to another company.
- Once you have added the new number to your service, have AT&T forward your original number to your new number so you won’t lose service.
- Contact AccessDirect to get started and have a copy of your most recent phone bill handy.
- We will submit the port and keep you up to date, including the date and time of the port’s completion
- Once the phone number port is complete, your original number will be active on your auto-attendant programming with AccessDirect
How To Port Your Cell Phone Number Into The Cloud From T-Mobile
- Call T-Mobile Customer Care at 800-375-1126 or 611 from your T-Mobile Phone
- Tell T-Mobile you want to port your cell phone number to another company and replace it with a different number once that port completes.
- Contact AccessDirect to get started, and have a copy of your most recent phone bill handy.
- We will submit the port and keep you up to date, including the date and time of the port’s completion.
- Once AccessDirect finishes porting the number out, contact T-Mobile to assign a new number to your account.
Porting a Cell Phone Number to VoIP
With AccessDirect’s cloud-based VoIP service and Auto Attendant feature, porting a cell number to VoIP is easy. Here’s how you do it:
- Contact AccessDirect and let us assess your needs. We offer several convenient packages that can be customized to provide the best level of service possible.
- Once you have the plan that meets your specific business needs, we’ll configure your system so any incoming calls to your cell number are forwarded directly to an Auto Attendant. With an Auto Attendant, your existing customers can still reach you at your old number. You also gain the option of adding a toll-free or vanity line that makes it easier to win new business with a professional image.
- Contact your cell provider to request a new personal number. The change will take effect immediately, and most providers will do it for a small one-time fee. Though you’ll have to update your personal contacts, it’s a small price to pay for maintaining business continuity.
Ready to get started porting your cell phone number? Get in touch with AccessDirect today to learn more about how to move a cellphone number to the cloud.
Why Small Businesses Are Moving to the Cloud
The ability to port a cell phone number to VoIP is just one of the features of an AccessDirect business phone system. With our value-priced plans, your business will benefit from:
- Increased productivity and efficiency: When calls are forwarded with greater efficiency, both your customers and your staff benefit. Say, for example, a potential customer calls in looking for specific information about one of your products or services. On your cellphone, you may be able to give them general information, but if you can’t answer their questions to their satisfaction, you may lose the sale. AccessDirect can set up a system that will screen and forward incoming calls to the team member best equipped to handle them, helping you put a better foot forward and making your operation more productive overall.
- Greater potential for growth: AccessDirect’s cloud-based systems are easily scalable with no investment in additional hardware. Because everything is hosted in the cloud, you don’t need an on-site server or special equipment. Adding new numbers or features is instantaneous and can be done from our secure web portal. We can forward incoming calls to a team member’s mobile phone, enabling staff members to work from home or stay in touch while on the road. Best of all, with our plans you only pay for the services and numbers you need. As your business grows, your phone service can grow with it in an organic, cost-effective manner.
- A more professional appearance: One of the biggest benefits of trading your old cellphone for a professional AccessDirect system is that it gives your business instant credibility. Even as more customer interactions are taking place online, the phone remains a powerful tool for creating a strong impression. When a customer calls in and is greeted with a professional, clear automated phone system, it inspires confidence that they are dealing with a well-established organization. The small investment you make when you port over your cell number to a VoIP phone system effectively levels the playing field with your competition.
These are only a few of the many benefits of upgrading your business’s phone infrastructure when you port your cell number to a VoIP number. When you’re ready to make the leap from a personal cellphone to a professional AccessDirect cloud-based system, get in touch with the team that will help you do so in a streamlined, cost-effective and value-packed manner.
CASE STUDY: THE IN-DEMAND WEDDING PLANNER
AccessDirect was recently contacted by a wedding planner in need of a more efficient, professional phone system. During more than 10 years in business, the planner had relied entirely on his personal cell to communicate with vendors and plan an annual bridal event, held each fall in New York City. Abandoning the old number wasn’t an option, given these longstanding relationships, but the planner often found himself inundated by calls and messages, particularly during the busy parts of the year. Having finally brought on a team of assistants, he required a better way of communicating with and delegating responsibility to them.
To solve these problems, AccessDirect set up an Auto Attendant system on the old cell number that prompted incoming callers for their specific requirements – dresses, cakes, music, etc. – and automatically forwarded the call to the appropriate assistant. After getting a new personal number, our client was extremely happy to not have his personal cell ringing off the hook, allowing him to move into a more managerial role with his staff, rather than having to constantly act as a go-between.
This is just one of the many success stories of an AccessDirect customer transferring their cell number to a VoIP system. To read more case studies and testimonials, keep browsing our website.
THE BEST SMALL BUSINESS VOIP PHONE SERVICE
With our commitment to personalized service, there’s no better partner for all your phone system needs than AccessDirect. As a small business ourselves, we work closely with our customers to ensure they are getting the best value possible for their money. We understand that today’s entrepreneurs require sophisticated solutions that won’t break the bank. Whether you are porting a phone number to VoIP, or setting up a direct receptionist service to forward incoming calls, we offer great products with no contracts and no setup fees. To learn how to port a phone number to one of small-business solutions, get in touch with an AccessDirect representative today.