It is indeed possible to keepyour existing phone number to be used with your new VoIP service, though not all VoIP service provider companies provide this facility. The factors that may cause your phone number not to be portable are the following:
The VoIP service company does not support phone number portability
The FCC imposed number portability over phone (communication) service companies, but not on VoIP service (which is considered only as information service) companies. Number portability not being compulsory on them, not all VoIP companies offer it.
Special services on your phone line
Some special services attached to your existing phone line prevent number portability. Examples are DSL or Distinctive Ring. Enquire with the VoIP company to know which services don’t work with number portability. You will then have to make a choice between these services and the portability of your existing phone number; because you have to disable these features in order to be able to keep it.
You disconnected from the phone company beforehand
This is what I will call a silly, but common, mistake. If before signing for the new VoIP service, you disconnected from the landline phone company, you already lost your number. The number should still be connected for it to be transferred from one service to another.
'800' numbers not supported
Unfortunately, number portability does not apply to 800 numbers. If you have an 800 number, forget about going on using it with VoIP.
Your region is not covered
The VoIP service provider company, while providing phone number portability, might not be able to support porting numbers from every nook and corner of your country. This will depend on their growth. They might announce the service for later, and ask you to be patient. In this case, you can either wait or see elsewhere.
