Switching phone providers

If you have a contract with a cellphone provider and want to switch to a new provider, you need to cancel your current contract. That’s easily done, at any time. But you may have to pay an early cancellation fee. The fee will depend on when you signed your contract and whether you received a discounted or free phone, among other factors. For details, see our guidance on cancelling a phone contract.

You own your phone number. A service provider can’t stop you taking it with you when you switch providers — a process called porting your number. A new provider is under no obligation to accept it — but most providers are happy to have a new customer, so the transfer is rarely a problem.

You can port your cellphone number or landline number. You can’t port a pager number. 

If you’re moving within the neighbourhood, you may or may not be able to port your number. If you’re moving to a new city, you generally can’t — but check with your new service provider anyway. 

Only the primary account holder can make a port request. If you’re an authorized user on a family or shared plan, you must establish a separate service with your current provider before you can initiate a port request. 

If you have a company phone, you may not be able to port your number if the service is in your company’s name.

Before you make the jump, it’s best to understand how much you’ll owe your current provider. If you’re on a month-to-month plan and your phone is paid off, there’s not much to worry about. But if you only recently got a new phone and are still paying it off, be prepared for a big hit. 

If you still want to switch, consider letting your current provider know that you aren’t happy. They might give you a better deal. 

If you want to keep your current phone, it needs to be one you can use with your new service provider. 

Years ago you might have heard it was hard to switch providers because the technology might not be compatible. That’s no longer true. A phone you buy today from one of the major networks will typically work on any network, so long as the phone is unlocked. (When a phone is locked to a network, it can only work with that provider’s voice, text, and data services.)

You have a legal right to have your phone unlocked, free of charge, upon request.

To make it happen, contact the provider you bought the phone from, and they’ll give you a code to enter to unlock it. 

Once you’ve decided which provider and plan you want to switch to, contact the new provider to request a service transfer. You can make the request by phone, email, or regular mail.

Your new provider will ask for some personal details to set up your account. They’ll ask you which services you want to keep, remove, or change. Tell them if you want to keep your current phone number. Your new provider will get it all done.

If you want to keep your current phone, you may also need to provide your phone’s IMEI number. This number is usually located on the back of your phone or under the battery. If you can’t find it, try dialling *#06#. With many smartphones, the IMEI will appear on the screen.

Your new service provider will notify your current provider of the transfer. Your current provider will cancel your services immediately. (Or you can ask to have the cancellation delayed.) 

For cellphones, the transfer of service can take a few hours. For landline-to-cellphone or cellphone-to-landline, it can take up to two business days. 

You might experience a disruption in service while the transfer is taking place, including disruptions to 911 calls.

While you don’t need to talk with your current provider, it’s prudent to give them a call to finalize the transfer. You can confirm any early cancellation fee or other charges. You’ll usually receive a bill for any outstanding debt within a month.

There can be some friction when you make the switch. Your new provider might assign you a temporary new number until the old number gets properly ported over. This can cause havoc with your phone’s contact list. Stay patient; it should all be sorted within a week or so. 

No. You can have your service cancelled immediately and take your number to a new provider (within the same locality) on the same day.

Yes. You can port a phone number from a landline to a cellphone (and vice versa).  

As long as the phone number is currently active, it’s possible to port a phone number from a prepaid plan. But if the prepaid service has been dormant, the phone number may have been deactivated. Each service provider has its own policy regarding how long prepaid numbers can be inactive before they’re deactivated. 

If you’re transferring a phone number from a prepaid service, you won’t be able to transfer any prepaid minutes or other service elements from your current provider.

Generally, yes. Although some services may be disrupted.  

If you need to call 911, it may be hard for emergency services to locate you via your phone number during the transfer period. (Your customer and location information is in flux.) So make sure you give the operator your exact location.

No. Your phone number is the only thing you’re taking with you. You’ll have to arrange for new calling features, such as voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, and so on. It’s also important to check whether any other services that may be connected to your phone number, such as internet services or security systems, might be affected by the transfer. 

Service rates for porting are unregulated. In theory, providers can charge to port your number. In practice, competition between providers means porting fees are either small or zero. Even so, you should always double-check when asking to port —you may be able to get any fees waived.

Yes. Even if you’re in debt to your current provider, you can still port your number elsewhere. But you may still be liable for any debts and for any early cancellation fee.